Erdogan’s dictator defense
Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, responding to critics who label him a “dictator,” can improve his image by giving up practices that generate criticism.
Turkey's main opposition leader and his spokespersons accuse Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of becoming dictatorial. Erdogan sees this as an unfair accusation and keeps saying he is not a dictator. In his defense he provides examples of what could happen to his critics if he were really a dictator.
The latest incident of this type was at the general assembly of the Union of Chambers and Exchanges (TOBB) in Ankara on May 22. Erdogan, while addressing the TOBB meeting with hundreds of generally conservative, small and medium Anatolian entrepreneurs in attendance, brought up the accusations of “dictatorship” and said, ”The TOBB chairman in his speech referred to calm and order. Look, there’s an opposition that calls the prime minister of this country a dictator. There are people who freely use this expression.”
