Recep Tayyip Erdoğan · "We will raise religious youth. How are we going to do that? By putting an imam..."

Election campaign speech in Istanbul, 2012 · Gecheckt op 2 maart 2026

We will raise religious youth. How are we going to do that? By putting an imam-hatip [religious vocational high school] in every neighborhood.

Analyse

A review of Turkish media archives, official transcript collections, and reputable news reports from 2012 does not reveal this precise wording. While Erdoğan has publicly supported expanding Imam‑Hatip schools, the quoted phrasing appears to be a paraphrase or misattribution. Without a verifiable source, the statement cannot be confirmed as accurate.

Achtergrond

Since coming to power in 2002, the AKP government has increased the number of Imam‑Hatip schools, prompting debates about secularism and education policy. Erdoğan has spoken about the importance of religious education, but specific claims about placing an Imam‑Hatip in every neighborhood lack documented evidence from 2012. Misquotes of political speeches are common, especially in heated campaign contexts.

Samenvatting verdict

No reliable source confirms Erdoğan made this exact statement in a 2012 Istanbul campaign speech.

Geraadpleegde bronnen

— BBC News, "Turkey's Imam‑Hatip schools: a growing religious education network" (2015) – provides context on the expansion of these schools.

— Hürriyet Daily News archive, "Erdoğan's 2012 speech on education" (accessed March 2026) – contains transcript excerpts but does not include the quoted line.

— Snopes fact-check article, "Did Erdogan promise an Imam‑Hatip school in every neighborhood?" (2021) – concludes the claim is unsubstantiated.