Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be running for president, as expected, in the August election, the first presidential election by public vote. Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) kick-started the official campaign of Erdogan’s presidency on July 1 with a well-organized meeting in Ankara that had more than 4,000 invitees in attendance.
Despite the 2013 Gezi protests where people hit the streets expressing discontent with Erdogan’s governing style and where police disproportionate use of tear gas and water cannon, and despite his and his government’s name coming under a gigantic corruption and bribery scandal, Erdogan said he has never followed policies to divide or polarize people.