Leadership through Institutional Stretch: Recep Tayyip Erdo？an’s Presidency in Turkey

This article scrutinizes the leadership performance of Recep Tayyip Erdo？an at the office of the Turkish presidency from the first direct presidential elections of August 2014 to 2017 constitutional referendum which introduced an executive presidential system. It examines the new processes and practices becoming embedded in the executive politics of Turkey paying due regard to the political contexts. It aims to contribute to the literature by locating president Erdo？an’s practices into the institutional stretch arguments. The article provides meaningful indicators tailored to the Turkish case for the manifestation of institutional stretch. The main argument of the article is that Erdo？an has stretched the presidential office institutionally, politically, symbolically and financially. This institutional stretching culminated in a constitutional executive presidency which will enter into force in 2018