The images went around the world, and Gezi Park became a global symbol of the uprising: In the spring of 2013, enlightened Turks protested, demanding more democracy and the resignation of Erdogan. But things turned out differently: In August 2014, 52 percent elected Erdogan as president. Why? The country is divided: Some see Erdogan as the father of the homeland, hoping for economic recovery and stability, while others fear a shift towards an Islamist-conservative state. Erdogan relentlessly pursues his course: media and administration are ideologically aligned, critics are imprisoned, the judiciary, political opposition, and the once-powerful military are humiliated and pushed into irrelevance. Cigdem Akyol, Turkey correspondent for numerous renowned German-language media, describes the political and social developments.