Turkey marks failed coup that changed country

After landing in Istanbul in one of the turning points of the July 15 coup bid, Erdogan described the attempt as a “blessing from God” and critics have accused him of opportunistically exploiting the events.

On April 16, Erdogan narrowly won a referendum that from 2019 will grant him sweeping new powers and also allow him to resume his leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

“His control over the AKP is absolute and as a result of the atmosphere of fear created through the post-coup attempt purges, his control over the bureaucracy, private sector and media are tighter than ever,” said Unluhisarcikli.

– ‘Betrayal burned the heart’ –

Turkey’s modern history has been littered with repeated interventions by the once all-powerful military, including the 1960 coup that led to the execution of then prime minister Adnan Menderes, Erdogan’s political hero.

The July 15 bid marked the first time in Turkey’s history a military coup had between thwarted and Erdogan rapidly put the military more under his direct control.

Around half of all Turkish generals were either arrested or fired after the coup bid.

The coup’s defeat even spawned an officially-approved anthem that blares out at Erdogan rallies: “On the night of July 15, the weather was hot/ An attempt of betrayal that burned the heart”.

Yet questions remain over the timeline, with testimony indicating the army received intelligence of a possible uprising as early as the afternoon of July 15.

But Erdogan, who was holidaying in the resort of Marmaris, found out about the plot so late that, according to his own statements, he was just 15 minutes from death.

“Although it is nearly one year after the coup, it does not seem easy to close the discussion over the intelligence aspects,” wrote a columnist for the Hurriyet daily, Sedat Ergin.

As a NATO member and EU candidate, Turkey lamented the lack of American and European solidarity, with Ankara seeing Brussels as more fixated on the ensuing crackdown than condemning the attempt to oust the democratically-elected government.

Tensions rose between Ankara and Washington over the failure of the US to extradite Gulen, with the new administration of Donald Trump dashing hopes of any shift.

By contrast Russian President Vladimir Putin was quick to back Erdogan, helping seal a rapprochement.

But in the Gulf, Turkey was last month disturbed by the Saudi-led sanctions slapped on Qatar, its main ally in that region