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"Loves Erdoğan" - propaganda sign in Ankara's Keçiören district in March 2021
Photo: ADEM ALTAN / AFP
In contrast to other populists in the world, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan never had outstanding approval ratings in his country.
There was always criticism, resistance and strong opposition.
At least he was able to convince his people through effective reforms that brought prosperity to many Turks at the beginning of his rule in Turkey, which has now lasted for 20 years - first as head of government, then as president with steadily increasing power.
Turkey is now in a deep economic crisis: the lira is in free fall, companies are perishing, people are impoverished and in all of this the president is acting increasingly erratically.
When it comes to economic issues, Erdoğan seems resistant to advice; when he appears in public, he looks fragile and worn out.
Critical voices are growing louder even among his most loyal followers.
more on the subject
How the autocrat led Turkey into the crisis: the state obeys Erdoğan, the economy does not obey Sebnem Arsu and Maximilian Popp
Lira crash: How Erdoğan gambled away the strength of the Turkish economyBy Benjamin Bidder
Erdoğan's diplomatic scandal: An autocrat is fighting for survivalAn analysis by Maximilian Popp
"Many people in Turkey are asking themselves: is this man still able to respond to this situation, to respond appropriately to this crisis," says Maximilian Popp, deputy head of the SPIEGEL foreign affairs department.
"Or can Turkey, can the Turkish economy only recover without Erdoğan?"
In this episode of "Eight Billion" you will hear how people in the country think about the crisis, what Erdoğan's political calculation consists of and whether his rule is coming to an end.
