TURKEY’S politics used to be as quirky and colourful as the country itself. Parties would be formed and as quickly disappear, politicians would suddenly be banned, coalitions of all shapes and sizes would be tried—and every so often the army would kick out an errant government. But all this changed after Turkey’s economic crisis of 2001.
In the election of November 2002 just two parties were returned to Turkey’s grand assembly, or parliament; all others failed to reach the 10% threshold below which they win no seats. Mr Erdogan’s mildly Islamist Justice and Development (AK) party got 34% of the vote and Ataturk’s old Republican People’s Party (CHP), led by Deniz Baykal, took 19%. It was enough for AK to form a single-party government that has been in power ever since. [Economist] Read more
