"Erdogan's Controversial Legacy: Challenging Ataturk on Turkey's Centenary"

As Turkey celebrates its 100th year as a republic, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's attempts to overshadow the secular legacy of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the country's founder, have been met with mixed results. While Erdogan has been unraveling Ataturk's secularism and promoting Islam, studies show that a growing number of young Turks are distancing themselves from religion. Erdogan's rule has also been marked by increasing polarization, ethnic and confessional divisions, declining human rights, and a crackdown on independent media. Despite some reforms, Erdogan has not been able to eclipse Ataturk's historical significance and replace him as the revered figure in Turkey.