Woody Allen & Bananas 1971 - The Young Ones TV - Illuminati Doctrine: Protocols of the Wise Men of Zion - Mary McAleese - Douglas Adams - The New Statesman TV - House of Cards US TV - This World: Turkey: Empire of Erdogan TV -
Hear me. I am your new president. From this day on, the official language of San Marcos will be Swedish. Silence! In addition to that, all citizens will be required to change their underwear every half hour. Underwear will be worn on the outside so we can check. Furthermore, all children under sixteen years old are now sixteen years old. Bananas 1971 starring Woody Allen & Louise Lasser & Carlos Montalban & Natividad Abascal & Jacobo Morales & Miguel Angel & David Ortiz & Rene Enriquez & Jack Axelrod & Howard Cosell & Roger Grimsby & Don Dunphy & Charlotte Rae et al, director Woody Allen, new president
Vyvyan: Here they are, el Presidenté! [finds Rick and Neil below stairs] Sub-human communist insurgents! I’ll teach you to try to assassinate the President! [enter] El Presidenté! The Young Ones s1e2: Oil, Vyvian, BBC 1982
After the monarchies have lost their prestige, we will elect presidents among persons that can be obedient servants. The elected ones must have some black spot in their past in order to be able to keep them silenced because of fear of being discovered by us. At the same time tied by the acquired position of power, enjoying the honours and privileges of a president, make them feel anxious to co-operate, not to lose it. Illuminati Doctrine: Protocols of the Wise Men of Zion, 1776
Apart from the Shamrock, the President should not wear emblems or symbols of any kind. Mary McAleese, Guardian 6th November 1997
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
I am president for life of the republic of St James. The New Statesman s1e5: Friends of St James, Lance to B’stard, ITV 1987
Presidents aren’t allowed to be human. You have to choose – power or love. That was very clear from the beginning. House of Cards US s6e4: Chapter 69, Claire, exit Petrov, Netflix 2018
For two decades Turkey has been ruled by one man: Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He has transformed Turkey and won widespread local support. This World: Turkey: Empire of Erdogan I, BBC 2023
But in recent years he is seen more and more as a dictator ordering brutal crackdowns on dissent. ibid.
The story of Erdogan’s rise to power is even more extraordinary when you understand where he came from, one of Istanbul’s poorest neighbourhoods. ibid.
He has a problem: his conviction disqualifies him from becoming an MP. So Erdogan comes up with an audacious plan: he will form a new party. ibid.
Under Erdogan, Turkey boomed. ibid.
Erdogan decides to confront the military. ibid.
By 2013 the economy had started to falter, and Turkey’s role in the conflict in neighbouring Syria was straining international relations. ibid.
‘It was a protest against Erdogan and the mentality that he represents, the totalitarianism, authoritarianism.’ ibid.
‘Erdogan’s handling of Gezi [protest] revealed that he had no limits.’ ibid.
He’s cast himself as a peacemaker in the war between Russia and Ukraine. This World: Turkey: Empire of Erdogan II
Since the mid-90s Erdogan has built a base of fiercely loyal supporters. ibid.
He is the first leader of modern Turkey to stand up to the military. ibid.
After ten years of Erdogan’s rule protests in Istanbul’s Gezi park result in a huge outpouring of anger against his government. ibid.
Against some poor competition and with the help of favourable media coverage Erdogan becomes the president. Until now it’s largely been a ceremonial role. But Erdogan has plans to change the office of the presidency. ibid.
‘The Kurdish problem is not a problem for only a part of the nation, but for all of it. It is also my problem. We won’t let the democratic process run backwards.’ ibid. Erdogan
Erdogan calls a snap election. This time Erdogan’s party wins an outright majority. ibid.
‘An attempted coup leading to chaos, death and instability in Turkey.’ ibid. news
‘He has a habit of turning crises into opportunities.’ ibid. woman
‘The slip in rights and liberties in Turkey since the coup is unprecedented.’ ibid. man
They will fight the next election as a coalition … Erdogan’s party and the far right together. ibid.
Five years on the economy is in deep trouble. ibid.