It has been more than two decades since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became Turkey’s president. Over the years, Erdoğan’s regime has become increasingly authoritarian, eroding press freedoms and removing checks to his power. But in the last week mass protests have erupted. Pouring on to the streets of Istanbul, thousands have defied government warnings and a crackdown by riot police to ensure their voices are heard. Today in Focus producer Sami Kent, who has written a book about the history of Turkey, talks to Michael Safi about the background to the protests. Erdoğan has jailed the one remaining political rival to