Showing he still enjoys support, cheering crowds greeted the embattled Turkish Prime Minister as he arrived in Istanbul.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is under increasing pressure to resign over a high level corruption scandal involving allegations of wrongdoing at a state run bank.
But, he remains defiant:
“Sovereignty does not belong to the judiciary. Sovereignty does not belong to the government either. It belongs to the people. The judiciary will pay for trying to take sovereignty out of the people’s hands.”
Meanwhile across the city, protesters clashed with riot police.
In Taksim Square, the centre of anti government clashes during the summer, police used water cannon on demonstrators who were calling for Erodgan’s resignation.
Plastic bullets were fired and tear gas deployed.
Despite this, opinion polls indicate the Prime Minister’s party still has the support of over 40 per cent of the population.
