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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Quotes

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician serving as President of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2014 and as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He founded the Justice and Development Party in 2001, leading it to general election victories in 2002, 2007 and 2011 before standing down upon his election as President in 2014. Coming from an Islamist political background and as a self-described conservative democrat, he has promoted socially conservative and liberal economic policies in his administration. Under his administration, Turkey has experienced democratic backsliding.Erdoğan played football for Kasımpaşa before being elected in 1994 as the Mayor of Istanbul from the Islamist Welfare Party. He was stripped of his position, banned from political office, and imprisoned for four months, for reciting a poem that promoted a religious point of view of government during a speech in 1998. Erdoğan abandoned openly Islamist politics and established the moderate conservative AKP in 2001.

Following the AKP's landslide victory in 2002, the party's co-founder Abdullah Gül became Prime Minister, until his government annulled Erdoğan's ban from political office. Erdoğan became Prime Minister in March 2003 after winning a by-election in Siirt.Erdoğan's government oversaw negotiations for Turkey's membership in the European Union, an economic recovery following a financial crash in 2001, changes to the constitution via referenda in 2007 and 2010, a Neo-Ottoman foreign policy, and investments in infrastructure including roads, airports, and a high-speed train network, and finally the Turkish currency and debt crisis of 2018. With the help of the Cemaat Movement led by preacher Fethullah Gülen, Erdoğan was able to curb the power of the military through the Sledgehammer and Ergenekon court cases. In late 2012, his government began peace negotiations with the Kurdistan Workers Party to end the ongoing PKK insurgency that began in 1978. The ceasefire broke down in 2015, leading to a renewed escalation in conflict. In 2016, a coup d'état was unsuccessfully attempted against Erdoğan and Turkish state institutions. This was followed by purges and an ongoing state of emergency.

Political scientists no longer consider Turkey as a fully fledged democracy, citing the lack of free and fair elections, purges and jailing of opponents, curtailed press freedom, and Erdoğan's efforts to broadening his executive powers and minimize his executive accountability. Widespread 2013 protests broke out against the perceived authoritarianism of Erdoğan's policies; he criticized the protestors and then had them suppressed by police, which killed 22 people, injured numerous others and brought international condemnation from foreign governments and human rights organizations. This stalled negotiations related to EU membership. Following a split with Gülen, Erdoğan promulgated sweeping judicial reforms he insisted were needed to purge Gülen's sympathisers, but which were criticised for threatening judicial independence. A US$100 billion corruption scandal in 2013 led to the arrests of Erdoğan's close allies, and incriminated Erdoğan. His government has since come under fire for alleged human rights violations and crackdown on press and social media, having blocked access to Wikipedia, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube on numerous occasions. Erdoğan's government lifted the bans when directed by court orders, but later reimposed them. In 2016, Turkey under Erdoğan began a crackdown on freedom of the press; in 2016 and 2017, more journalists have been incarcerated in Turkey than in any other country. He was re-elected in the 2018 general election and assumed the role of Executive President and became both the head of state and head of government.

✵ 26. February 1954
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan photo
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: 31 quotes9 likes

Famous Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Quotes

“Every instigator or madman, who will dare to raise his hand against the government, let him be sure that the government will chop it off.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Speech delivered after the military coup, 2016

“A woman who says 'because I am working I will not be a mother' is actually denying her feminity.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in "Turkey's Erdogan says childless women are 'incomplete'" http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/turkey-erdogan-childless-women-incomplete-160606042442710.html, Al Jazeera (June 6, 2016)

“How would the world respond if a European prime minister called for the mass deportation of all Turks? Yet Erdogan's xenophobic demagoguery attracted precisely no condemnation from Washington or Brussels. He probably overestimated the number of "tolerated" economic refugees from neighboring and former Soviet Armenia, but is it not interesting that he keeps a count in his head? And a count of the tiny number of surviving Turkish Armenians as well? The outburst strengthens the already strong case for considering Erdogan to be somewhat personally unhinged.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Christopher Hitchens, &quot;Shut Up About Armenians or We&#x27;ll Hurt Them Again&quot; http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2010/04/shut_up_about_armenians_or_well_hurt_them_again.html, Slate (April 5, 2010) <br class="br">About

“Mr. Peres, you are older than I am. And your voice is genuinely loud. I know that it is because you are, in fact, in a psychology of feeling guilty, thus you better know that I will not sound that loud. And when killing is the case, you know how to kill very well. I know how you killed the children on the beaches, I know how you shot them. Two ex-PMs of your country once told me important things. You have had such prime ministers who said, "When I enter Palestine on a tank, I feel happy — in a different way." You have had PMs who said to me "I feel happy when I am on a tank while entering Palestine." And you give me those numbers. I would release their names, in case some of you might be curious of. I also condemn those who acclaim this cruelty, because I think it is a crime against humanity as well.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted during a discussion panel at 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, in &quot;Turkish PM storms off in Gaza row&quot; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/davos/7859417.stm, BBC (January 29, 2009)

“There are people who say that "Gül can't be my president". These people don't have good manners for and they should renounce their Turkish citizenship foremost this man will be chosen democratically by the people.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Gül&#x27;ü tanımayan vatandaşlıktan çıksın !&quot; http://www.haberturk.com/haber.asp?id=33005&amp;cat=110&amp;dt=2007/08/21, Haberturk (August 21, 2007)

“I am calling on my citizens, my brothers and sisters in Europe. Don’t have just three children; have five. The place in which you are living and working is now your homeland and new motherland. Stake a claim in it. Open more businesses, enroll your children in better schools, have your families live in better neighborhoods, drive the best cars, live in the most beautiful houses. That's because you are the future of Europe. It will be the best answer to the vulgarism, antagonism and injustices made against you.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot; Erdoğan to Turks in EU: Have 5 children, you are the future of Europe https://www.turkishminute.com/2017/03/17/erdogan-turks-eu-5-children-future-europe/&quot;, TurkishMinute (March 17 2017)

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Quotes about democracy

“Erdogan once said that democracy for him is a bus ride. “Once I get to my stop, I’m getting off."”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

King Abdullah II of Jordan <br class="br">Quoted by Jeffrey Goldberg, Bloomberg News, July 4, 2013. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-04/good-riddance-to-brotherhood-s-fake-democrats.html <br class="br">About

“In other words, the bar should be maintained at the level of a pluralistic and participatory democracy.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in Erdogan: &quot;Democracy in the Middle East, PluralIism in Europe: Turkish View&quot; http://www.turkishweekly.net/article/8/erdogan-democracy-in-the-middle-east-pluraliism-in-europe-turkish-view-.html, The Turkish Weekly (October 12, 2004)

“If Europe continues this way, no European in any part of the world can walk safely on the streets. We, as Turkey, call on Europe to respect human rights and democracy.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot; Turkey&#x27;s Erdogan warns Europeans &#x27;will not walk safely on the streets&#x27; if diplomatic row continues https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkey-erdogan-germany-netherlands-warning-europeans-not-walk-safely-a7642941.html&quot;, The Independent (March 22 2017)

“But foremost, I do not subscribe to the view that Islamic culture and democracy cannot be reconciled.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in Erdogan: &quot;Democracy in the Middle East, PluralIism in Europe: Turkish View&quot; http://www.turkishweekly.net/article/8/erdogan-democracy-in-the-middle-east-pluraliism-in-europe-turkish-view-.html, The Turkish Weekly (October 12, 2004)

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Quotes

“…it's not possible for a Muslim to commit genocide”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

November 2009 &quot;Sudanese President Bashir&#x27;s visit to Turkey in limbo&quot; http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/default.aspx?pageid=438&amp;n=a-muslim-can-never-commit-genocide-erdogan-defends-bashir-2009-11-08, Hurriyet Daily News (November 8, 2009) <br class="br">Also translated as &quot;it is not possible for those who belong to the Muslim faith to carry out genocide&quot;. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/nov/11/erdogan-muslims-turkish-sudan-gaza

“These descriptions are very ugly, it is offensive and an insult to our religion. There is no moderate or immoderate Islam. Islam is Islam and that’s it.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

&quot;PM Erdogan: The Term “Moderate Islam” Is Ugly And Offensive; There Is No Moderate Islam; Islam Is Islam&quot; https://web.archive.org/web/20070826165606/http://www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/2595.htm, Memri Turkish Media Blog (August 21, 2007)

“You cannot place a mother breastfeeding her baby on an equal footing with men. You cannot make women work in the same jobs as men do, as in communist regimes. You cannot give them a shovel and tell them to do their work. This is against their delicate nature.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: ‘women not equal to men’&quot; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/24/turkeys-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-women-not-equal-men, The Guardian (November 24, 2014)

“I consider abortion to be murder. No-one should have the right to allow this to happen.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Turkey PM Erdogan sparks row over abortion&quot; http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18297760, BBC (June 1, 2012)

“As Muslims, we cannot overcome our difficulties without achieving unity in spite of our differences.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted during the 13th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in Istanbul, in &quot;Islamic leaders pledge to combat sectarianism&quot; http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/04/islamic-leaders-pledge-combat-sectarianism-160415185615217.html, Al Jazeera (April 15, 2016)

“Europe, you don't want us because the majority of our population are Muslim … We knew it but we tried to show our sincerity.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;In Turkey&#x27;s tussle with the EU, Erdogan thinks he holds the cards&quot; http://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-turkey-idUSKCN0Z82DA, Reuters (June 22, 2016)

“Our religion [Islam] has defined a position for women: motherhood. Some people can understand this, while others can’t. You cannot explain this to feminists because they don’t accept the concept of motherhood.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: ‘women not equal to men’&quot; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/24/turkeys-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-women-not-equal-men, The Guardian (November 24, 2014)

“There is a trouble called Twitter, the finest lies are here. Nowadays, social media is actually the headache of societies.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Erdoğan: Twitter denilen bir bela var&quot; http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/id/25446690/, NTV (June 2, 2013)

“Those who do not want to take a side will be eliminated (read as: irrelevant for) from the process.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Bosses Unions Clash over Referendum Results&quot; http://www.todayszaman.com/news-222330-bosses-unions-clash-over-referendum-results.html, Today&#x27;s Zaman (2010)

“What women need is to be able to be equivalent, rather than equal. Because equality turns the victim into an oppressor and vice versa.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: ‘women not equal to men’&quot; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/24/turkeys-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-women-not-equal-men, The Guardian (November 24, 2014)

“In my country there are 170,000 Armenians. Seventy thousand of them are citizens. We tolerate 100,000 more. So, what am I going to do tomorrow? If necessary I will tell the 100,000: OK, time to go back to your country. Why? They are not my citizens. I am not obliged to keep them in my country.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Shut Up About Armenians or We&#x27;ll Hurt Them Again&quot; http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2010/04/shut_up_about_armenians_or_well_hurt_them_again.html, Slate (April 5, 2010)

“There was a young fellow from Ankara
Who was a terrific wankerer
Till he sowed his wild oats
With the help of a goat
But he didn’t even stop to thankera.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Boris Johnson wins The Spectator’s President Erdogan Offensive Poetry competition, 18 May 2016. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/05/boris-johnson-wins-the-spectators-president-erdogan-offensive-poetry-competition/ <br class="br">About

“A woman who rejects motherhood, who refrains from being around the house, however successful her working life is, is deficient, is incomplete.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Turkey&#x27;s Erdogan says childless women are &#x27;incomplete&#x27;&quot; http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/turkey-erdogan-childless-women-incomplete-160606042442710.html, Al Jazeera (June 6, 2016)

“There is but one alternative for Turkey. Either African barbarism, under Arabian direction, will burst around its head like an avalanche, or else it must re-establish strong leadership, thus putting twenty million heroes between itself and Africa and gaining a breathing spell for the accomplishment of its social regeneration.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As said during the EU-Turkey Summit

“We are all human beings. (original: Hepimiz insanız)”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Erdoğan Almanya’da: Hepimiz insanız&quot; http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/434900.asp, NTVMSNBC Anasayfa (February 9, (2008))

“You cried out when 50,000 refugees were at the Kapikule border… You started asking what you would do if Turkey would open the gates. Look at me — if you go further, those border gates will be open. You should know that.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Erdogan Threatens to Let Migrant Flood Into Europe Resume&quot; http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/world/europe/turkey-recep-tayyip-erdogan-migrants-european-union.html?smid=fb-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur&amp;_r=0, The New York Times (November 25, 2016)

“There exists an unmistakable demand in the Middle East and in the wider Muslim world for democratization.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in Erdogan: &quot;Democracy in the Middle East, PluralIism in Europe: Turkish View&quot; http://www.turkishweekly.net/article/8/erdogan-democracy-in-the-middle-east-pluraliism-in-europe-turkish-view-.html, The Turkish Weekly (October 12, 2004)

“Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb were not and never will be Jewish sites.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;&#x27;Rachel&#x27;s Tomb was never Jewish&#x27;&quot; http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=170394, Al Wattan (March 7, 2010)

“Everyone should unconditionally accept that Israel is an indispensable element of the Middle Eastern mosaic.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in Erdogan: &quot;Democracy in the Middle East, PluralIism in Europe: Turkish View&quot; http://www.turkishweekly.net/article/8/erdogan-democracy-in-the-middle-east-pluraliism-in-europe-turkish-view-.html, The Turkish Weekly (October 12, 2004)

“There is no difference between killing a baby in its mother's stomach and killing a baby after birth.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

As quoted in &quot;Turkey PM Erdogan sparks row over abortion&quot; http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18297760, BBC (June 1, 2012)

“Turkey’s president is blackmailing the United States by threatening to curb his country’s support for the international coalition against the Islamic State. His goal: to ensure my extradition, despite a lack of credible evidence and virtually no prospect for a fair trial. The temptation to give Mr. Erdogan whatever he wants is understandable. But the United States must resist it.”

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Fethullah Gülen, "Fethullah Gulen: I Condemn All Threats to Turkey’s Democracy", The New York Times (July 26, 2016)
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