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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes no secret of his yearning for the Ottoman Empire that was abolished by Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern republic, with the stroke of a pen. Critics say this nostalgia and Erdogan’s seeming unquenchable thirst for power indicate he wants to become a latter-day sultan with all the position’s glory and accoutrements.
His campaign to endow himself with constitutionally enshrined executive authority — many call it one-man rule — is being cheered on by a real Ottoman princess. But Nilhan Osmanoglu’s blessing has had unintended effects, signaling that it won’t all be smooth sailing for Erdogan.
