Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the influence of Ottoman legacy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political identity is characterized by a strong connection to the Ottoman Empire. This approach integrates historical heritage with modern politics, utilizing symbolic and architectural elements to project a vision often described as ‘Neo-Ottomanism.’

Erdoğan views the Ottoman and Republican eras as complementary rather than contradictory parts of Turkey’s history. His rhetoric frequently references historical leaders such as Fatih Sultan Mehmet, Yavuz Sultan Selim, and II. Abdülhamit. This connection is further reflected in state projects, such as the design of the Presidential Complex in Beştepe, which incorporates Seljuk and Ottoman architectural styles, and the restoration of Ottoman-era monuments worldwide through agencies like TİKA.