The rise of Recep Erdogan, from street snack seller to Middle East Muslim champion
Thomas Seibert
Sep 14, 2011
ISTANBUL // When the young Recep Tayyip Erdogan sold snacks on the streets of Kasimpasa, a tough neighbourhood in Istanbul, as a child to support his lower middle-class family no one would have guessed that this boy would grow up to become one of the most powerful prime ministers in Turkey's history and one of the most influential leaders in the Middle East.
Mr Erdogan, who is 57 today, fought his way to the top against many odds, spending time in prison and in the political wilderness, and surviving what prosecutors in trials said were plots by the military. However, he has always bounced back, thanks to an extraordinary mixture of political talent, self-confidence, Muslim piety and realism.
More:The rise of Recep Erdogan, from street snack seller to Middle East Muslim champion - The National
