Erdoğan’s Populist Rhetoric and Hate Speech: Anti-Opposition Discourse and the Polarization of Turkish Politics

This article examines the growing prevalence of populism in global political communication, with a focus on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It analyzes the interplay between Erdoğan's populist discourse and hate speech, with the aim of highlighting the central role that hate speech against political opposition plays in his rhetoric. The article argues that Erdoğan’s polarizing populist rhetoric functions as a euphemism for hate speech and seeks to trace its development in his political speeches. Additionally, the research identifies the specific expressions of hate speech employed by Erdoğan, evaluates their intensity, and explores how his discourse constructs and perpetuates a political 'other.'