Not just a park

Trying to fit the turbulence in Turkey to the Arab Spring pattern would be a mistake. Despite the spectacle of thousands of Turks taking to the streets,demanding Erdogans resignation,and the repressive state response,Turkey is no Egypt or Tunisia. For one,under Erdogan and the AKP,Turkeys economy has tripled in size. Indeed,it has been the fastest-growing economy in the OECD since 2003. Inequality appears to have fallen,and economic growth unlike in the Arab Spring countries has also led to the creation of millions of jobs. The AKP won the 2011 election with just under 50 per cent of the popular vote,unprecedented in Turkeys political history.

Yet,Erdogans pursuit of a more explicit religiously conservative agenda since his re-election,along with his seeming disregard for disagreement and opposition,has bred growing unease and discontent. It is unlikely that these protests will force him out of office. But the poster-boy image he so assiduously cultivated over the years has been tarnished.