VIDEO: Ottoman-inspired 'New Turkey' anthem praises Erdoğan

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inaugurated New Turkey Strategic Research Center in Ankara on April 10.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was welcomed during a ceremony on April 10 with the "New Turkey Anthem" performed by an Ottoman military band, which praised him as "Our Leader."

During the inauguration ceremony for New Turkey Strategic Research Center in the Gölbaşı neighborhood of Ankara, Erdoğan listened to the anthem, composed by writer and former politician Hasan Celal Güzel. The Mehter band of Ankara Municipality performed the anthem.

"The struggle for New Turkey is our Red Apple," Erdoğan said in reference to the lyrics in his speech.

Denoting the mythical Turkish land in Central Asia, "Red Apple" is a symbol of Pan-Turkism and its utopic ideal. 

Güzel's lyrics praise Erdoğan as "Our Leader," before mentioning historic figures Attila the Hun, Oghuz Han, Alparslan, the Ottoman Empire's founder Osman Gazi, Mehmed the Conqueror, Selim I, Suleiman the Magnificent, Abdulhamid II and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.



Adnan Menderes and Turgut Özal, two of Erdoğan's predecessors in the offices of Turkey's prime ministry and presidency, are praised in the anthem, which vows "to spread the name of Allah."

"The Turkish nation is loyal to you Erdoğan, the last ring of the golden chain," the lyrics also say with an endorsement to full presidential system, instead of the current parliamentary system of Turkey.