Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan takes the oath of office and starts his third presidential term Saturday following his latest election win. Erdogan prevailed in a runoff race last weekend despite a severely troubled economy and his government’s criticized response to a February earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people. The 69-year-old has led Turkey as prime minister or president for 20 years and already is the longest-serving leader in the Turkish republic’s history. His reelection to a five-year term extends his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. Erdogan’s endurance amid a cost-of-living crisis might have resulted from people preferring stability over change as they struggle to pay for basic goods.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power for almost 20 years. Despite protests and a tough competition, he won the presidential election last month, further tightening his grip on the country.