With only four months left before critical local elections, an increasingly beleaguered Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to shake the negative image that has become stuck to him as an uncompromising and authoritarian leader who uses heavy-handed methods against his political rivals as well as those who do not share his worldview.
On the surface, Erdogan still appears strong, self-confident and unbeatable in any election. Few dispute that he is poised to remain a key figure on Turkey’s political landscape for some time yet. But his is no longer the smooth sailing it was a number of years ago, when he appeared untouchable. Today, there are indications he may be losing his magic, especially now that his opponents span a spectrum ranging from the Gezi Park youth to members of the Islamist Gulen Movement, led by the influential religious leader Fethullah Gulen.
