In his tweet, Calapkulu said Erdogan’s opponents had in the past claimed that Erdogan could not even be a village headman, but in fact he managed to rise to the top of the Turkish state.
“Now they are saying he cannot be president [under a presidential system]. The caliph is coming, get ready,” he added, referring to Erdogan as “the tall man,” like many of his supporters.
A caliph is a spiritual leader of Islam who claims succession from Prophet Muhammad. The word, stemming from the Arabic khalifa meaning “successor,” has been the focus of much debate since being claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
After his tweet triggered an outcry, Calapkulu changed the status of his Twitter account to “protected,” ensuring that only confirmed followers have access to his tweets. He also released a written statement on March 19, saying he has a different “perception” of the word “caliph.”
“I use this word to refer to a leader who has command of all the problems, institutions and administration of his country; a leader who is the independent and powerful voice of the world’s downtrodden; the protector of the oppressed; a good, successful, pioneering and visionary leader,” he said in the statement.
Calapkulu, who was appointed to his office 45 days ago, also stressed that his “peacefully expressed” views should be respected within the scope of freedom of thought.
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