Turkey: Empire of Erdogan S01E02 - Episode 2

A few months after his brutal crackdown on protestors in Istanbul's Gezi Park, Erdogan faces another challenge to his rule – a corruption scandal. Blaming it on his one-time ally, the cleric Fethullah Gulen, Erdogan continues to consolidate power, becoming president and transforming the office from a largely ceremonial role to a powerful executive position.

But in 2016, just as he is about to remove followers of Fethullah Gulen from the military and the security services, there is a violent coup attempt, with swat teams sent to kill Erdogan. But the attempt fails, and Erdogan then uses emergency powers to crack down even harder on dissent and increase his power further.

In 2023, after Turkey's biggest earthquake in 70 years, Erdogan faces another general election. The polls point to a major loss, but many believe Erdogan will do anything to stay in power.