Elif Shafak

Stephen Sackur speaks to Turkish novelist and writer Elif Shafak, who lives much of her life in London.

A dozen years ago, Europeans looked at Turkey and thought they saw a country becoming more like them, embracing western values and on a long-term track to EU membership. But today Europe sees authoritarianism, conservatism and repression embodied in the all-powerful figure of President Erdogan.

Does the West get anywhere close to understanding Turkey's complex culture and politics?