Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician who has served as the President of Turkey since 2014. Before becoming president, he was the Prime Minister from 2003 to 2014 and the Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. Erdoğan is a founding member of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has its roots in political Islam. Erdoğan's leadership has been marked by significant economic growth in Turkey, but also by increasing authoritarianism and political polarization. His government has faced criticism for its handling of media freedom, human rights, and political dissent. Erdoğan remains a prominent figure in both Turkish and international politics.