Early life and career of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was born on February 26, 1954, in the Kasımpaşa neighborhood of Istanbul, Turkey. He is a prominent Turkish politician who has served as the President of Turkey since 2014. Prior to his presidency, Erdoğan was the Prime Minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014 and the Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998.

Early Life

Erdoğan spent his early childhood in the coastal city of Rize, where his father worked as a Coast Guard officer. The family returned to Istanbul when Erdoğan was 13 years old. He attended the İmam Hatip School, a religious vocational high school, where he developed an interest in Islamic studies and politics.

Education

After completing his secondary education, Erdoğan attended Marmara University, where he studied Business Administration. During his university years, he became actively involved in political activities and joined the National Turkish Student Union.

Early Career

Erdoğan's political career began in the late 1970s when he joined the National Salvation Party (NSP), led by Necmettin Erbakan. Following the military coup in 1980, the NSP was banned, and Erdoğan briefly withdrew from politics.

In 1983, Erdoğan joined the newly formed Welfare Party, where he quickly rose through the ranks. He was elected as the Mayor of Istanbul in 1994, where he implemented several infrastructure projects and improved the city's water and transportation systems.

Political Rise

Erdoğan's tenure as mayor was marked by his pragmatic approach to governance and his ability to connect with the city's residents. However, his political career faced a setback in 1998 when he was imprisoned for reciting a controversial poem that was deemed to incite religious hatred.

After serving four months in prison, Erdoğan returned to politics and co-founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2001. The AKP won a landslide victory in the 2002 general elections, and Erdoğan became the Prime Minister of Turkey in 2003.

Presidency

In 2014, Erdoğan was elected as the President of Turkey, a position he has held since. His presidency has been characterized by significant political and economic reforms, as well as increased centralization of power.

Personal Life

Erdoğan is married to Emine Erdoğan, and they have four children. He is known for his strong advocacy of Islamic values and has been a polarizing figure in Turkish politics.

See Also

• Politics of Turkey
• Justice and Development Party
• Marmara University

External Links

• Official website of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey