ime, child poverty rose to 66% while Turkey suffered the highest number of workers 'deaths in Europe, with 301 miners being killed in Soma in 2014. While maintaining controversial relations with e xiled cleric Fethullah G? len,
Erdo? an and Gulen s Cemaat Movement were involved in curbing the political power of the military through the controversial Sledgehammer and Ergenekon court cases. Under his rule, several long-planned projects such as Marmaray and two high-speed train networks were completed as part of Erdo? An s 2023 vision for the centenary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Nationwide protests broke out against Erdo? an s allegedly authoritarian rule in 20 13 and 2014. His government was internationally condemned for a brutal crackdown against protestors by the police and AKP youth members, which resulted in 22 deaths, G? len withdrawing his support from the AKP an d talks with the EU stalling. A? 100 billion government c orruption scandal resulted in the arrests of several family members of Erdo? An s cabinet ministers, which Erdo? An called a coup attempt by G? Len s supporters in judicial and bureaucratic positions. Turkey blocked Twitter after Erdo? An himself was incriminated in a recording released on the Internet. Although the judiciary annulled the ban, Erdo? An s government has come under continued fire for media censorship, electoral fraud and disregard for the constitution an d the rule of law. His critics and the political opposition have thus branded him as a dictator. Erdogan was named as the AKP candidate for the 2014 presidential election on 1 July, which he won with 51.79% of the vote amid claims of media bias. He was sworn in as the 12th President of Turkey on 28 August, with speculation that he would continue to pursue his political agenda while his new Prime Minister, Ahmet Davuto? Lu will take a docile approach.
Vladimir Putin
Vladimirovich Putin has been the President of Russia since 7 May 2012. He previously served as President from 2000 to 2008, and as Prime Minister of Russia from 1 999 to 2000 and again from +2008 to 2012. During his last term as Prime Minister, he was also the Chairman of United Russia, the ruling party.For 16 years Putin served as an officer in the KGB, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before he retired to enter politics in his native Saint Petersburg in 1991. He moved to Moscow in тисяча дев'ятсот дев'яносто шість and joined President Boris Yeltsin's administration where he rose quickly, becoming Acting President on 31 December 1999 when Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned. Putin won the subsequent +2000 presidential election and was reelected in 2004. Because of constitutionally mandated term limits, Putin was ineligible to run for a third consecutive presidential term in 2008. Dmitry Medvedev won the 2008 presidential election and appointed Putin as Prime Minister, beginning a period of so-called tandemocracy raquo ;. In September +2011, following a change in the law extending the presidential term from four years to six, Putin announced that he would seek a third, non-consecutive term as President in the +2012 presidential election, an announcement which led to large-scale protests in many Russian cities. He won the election in March +2012 and is serving a six-year term.
Many of Putin s actions are regarded by the domestic opposition and foreign observers as undemocratic. The 2011 Democracy Index stated that Russia was in a long process of regression culminated in a move from a hybrid to an authoritarian regime in view of Putin s candidacy and flawed parliamentary elections. In 2014, Russia was excluded from the G8 group as a result of its annexation of Crimea.Putin s first premiership and presidency (1999-2008), real incomes increased by a factor of 2.5, real wages more than tripled; unemployment and poverty more than halved, and the Russians self-assessed life satisfaction rose significantly. Putin s first presidency was marked by high economic growth: the Russian economy grew for eight straight years, seeing GDP increase by 72% in PPP. However, as of October 2014, since Putin ascension to the presidency, the Russian Ruble has lost nearly half of its value against the Euro, 99% of its value against the Japanese Yen (since 2002), 22% against the United States Dollar ( since 2002), 31% against the British Pound (since 2002), and nearly 56% against the Swiss Franc (since 2002), among other currencies. As Russia s president, Putin and the Federal Assembly passed into law a flat income tax of 13%, a reduced profits tax, and new land and legal codes. As Prime Minister, Putin oversaw large-scale military and police reform. His energy policy has affirmed Russia's position as an energy superpower. [Citation needed] Putin supported high-tech industries such as the nuclear and defence ind...
