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Turkey - Past and Present President Differences 
Kemal Atatürk and the current President of Turkey represent two different eras in Turkish governance, separated by several decades. Kemal Atatürk, also known as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, was the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, serving from 1923 until his death in 1938. The current President of Turkey as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021 was Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been in power since 2014.
  1. Political System: Atatürk established a secular and parliamentary system based on the principles of republicanism, nationalism, populism, and statism. This system was enshrined in the Turkish Constitution of 1924. Today, Turkey operates under a presidential system with increased powers for the president, following a constitutional referendum in 2017 that granted expanded executive authority to the position.
  2. Role of Religion: Atatürk implemented a series of reforms known as Kemalism, which aimed to modernize Turkey by separating religion from politics and public life. He abolished the Ottoman Caliphate, replaced Islamic law with a secular legal system, and implemented secular education and dress codes. In contrast, the current government under President Erdoğan has taken steps to promote a more conservative interpretation of Islam and has been criticized by some for allegedly undermining the secular principles established by Atatürk.
  3. Personal Authority: Atatürk held significant personal authority as the founder of modern Turkey and implemented a range of reforms, often through top-down decision-making. In contrast, although Erdoğan has consolidated power in the presidency, Turkey's political system still involves multiple institutions and checks and balances, though some critics have raised concerns about the erosion of democratic norms under his leadership.
  4. Economic Policies: Atatürk pursued a policy of state-led industrialization and modernization, known as the "Six Arrows" (Republican People's Party's principles of republicanism, nationalism, populism, statism, secularism, and revolutionism). The current government has followed a more market-oriented approach, emphasizing economic liberalization and foreign investment.
  5. Foreign Policy: Atatürk focused on creating a more Western-oriented foreign policy, aligning Turkey with Europe and distancing it from its Ottoman past. The current government has pursued a more assertive and independent foreign policy, often emphasizing Turkey's regional interests and playing an active role in conflicts such as the Syrian civil war.
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The major point is that Kemal Atatürk and the current President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, represent two different eras in Turkish governance.
Kemal Atatürk:
  • Founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, serving from 1923 to 1938.
  • Established a secular and parliamentary system based on republicanism, nationalism, populism, and statism.
  • Implemented reforms known as Kemalism, aiming to modernize Turkey by separating religion from politics and public life.
  • Abolished the Ottoman Caliphate, replaced Islamic law with a secular legal system, and implemented secular education and dress codes.
  • Pursued state-led industrialization and modernization, known as the "Six Arrows."
  • Focused on creating a more Western-oriented foreign policy, aligning Turkey with Europe.
Current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (as of September 2021):
  • In power since 2014.
  • Turkey operates under a presidential system with increased powers for the president, following a constitutional referendum in 2017.
  • The current government has taken steps to promote a more conservative interpretation of Islam, raising concerns about the undermining of secular principles established by Atatürk.
  • Although Erdoğan has consolidated power, Turkey's political system still involves multiple institutions and checks and balances.
  • The current government has pursued a more market-oriented economic approach, emphasizing economic liberalization and foreign investment.
  • Pursued a more assertive and independent foreign policy, often emphasizing Turkey's regional interests and playing an active role in conflicts such as the Syrian civil war.

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