ABSTRACT
A number of factors in Turkey’s socio-economic development served as catalysts for Erdoğan’s populist rise to prominence. This chapter examines how factors such as economic problems, political unrest and the resulting power vacuum between the mass citizenry and the political ‘elite’ assisted Erdoğan in gaining and retaining power. We briefly examine his long tenure in government as well as developments in a ‘new Turkey’ under his leadership.
