Recep Tayyip Erdogan Quotes

Similarly, gender-equality, supremacy of law, political participation, civil society, and transparency are among the indispensable elements that are the imperatives of democratization.

Those of us who actually were working in the region at the time will point out how strongly committed we were to supporting the democratic process and encouraging elections, in spite of the fact that a war was going on in several of these countries.

In this context, social consensus, and institutions that embody this consensus, must be made effective in order for democratization not to be abused as a provisional instrument to establish an anti-democratic regime.

I take the debate on the method of promoting democracy seriously.

The first priority is to make the change from a revolutionary mentality to a civil society in which there is respect for law.

Elections alone will never be enough to ensure good governance.

Establishing a stable democracy is a two stage process. First you get rid of the old regime, then you build a durable democratic replacement. Because the first stage is dramatic, many people think the game is over when the dictator is gone. But the second stage is more difficult. There are many examples of broad coalitions coming together to oust dictators but relatively few of them stayed together and agreed on what a new regime should look like.

Several experts on the Middle East concur that the Middle East cannot be democratized.

I see corruption as a mortal enemy for young democracies.

In order every one in our homeland learns principles of democracy and the peaceful transition of power, and in order to stabilize and develop multiple choices in democratic practice.

My message to France and Europe is that we will make sure Venezuela won't witness the rise of another Pinochet. And we will do it the democratic way.

Pakistan's future viability, stability and security lie in empowering its people and building political institutions. My goal is to prove that the fundamental battle for the hearts and minds of a generation can be accomplished only under democracy.

There is no one in al-Nahda that is 'violence is a means of change or to keep power.' Everyone in al-Nahda believes that democracy is the only way to reach power and to stay in power.

Our aim is to strengthen, not damage, Mexico’s institutions, to force them to adopt greater transparency

Democratic societies with established institutions must help those societies that do not yet have established institutions.

Democracy is a slow and complex process …. Democracy is counter-intuitive. Democracy takes time to learn. It takes years or even decades to take on the habits of democracy…. If you jump too fast, the wrong people come to power…. Yes democracy, but democracy slow.

The peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history yet common in our country.

Through democracy we shall have peace [in the Balkans].

Africa must develop a genuine culture of alternation and opposition, without which democracy in any country, including the West, cannot exist.

A democratic society cannot tolerate mob rule.

Unless the military of a fledgling democracy becomes Westernized, there democracy will not long last.

You do not turn a country with no democratic tradition into a democracy by just having an election. You must also have democratic institutions like the rule of law.

I probably will not live to see Turkey become an exemplary democracy, but I pray that the downward authoritarian drift can be stopped before it is too late.

Democracy is not only the right to vote, it is also about not resorting to violence in order to reach political goals and respecting agreements signed by former governments.

I have repeatedly called for respecting institutions and the democratic process. Once the process is completed, we should always respect the outcome.