This article analyzes the increased visibility and frequency of public weeping by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Building on the literature that conceptualizes populism as a particular political style, I argue that crying in public can be understood as a populist performative act of legitimation, serving to dramatize the basic components of the populist discourse. I also contend that the increased frequency of public weeping by Erdoğan relate to two major dilemmas that populists in power encounter. Both dilemmas stem from the growing discrepancy between populist rhetoric and practice, diminishing the credibility of the populist leader. Signaling emotional authenticity, Erdoğan’s tearfulness serves to communicate a message of closeness to the people and sustain the anti-elite rhetoric at a time when his political power and economic wealth increasingly set him apart from the politically and economically marginalized. It also attempts to justify authoritarian practices while sustaining the claim to rule in the name of popular power and mobilize constituents against the opposition.

本文分析了土耳其总统Recep TayyipErdoğan公开哭泣的知名度和频率。我基于将民粹主义概念化为特定政治风格的文献为基础，我认为在公共场合哭泣可以理解为是民粹主义的合法化表演性行为，旨在使民粹主义话语的基本组成部分戏剧化。我还认为，埃尔多安（Erdoğan）公开哭泣的频率增加与执政的民粹主义者遇到的两个主要难题有关。两种困境都源于民粹主义言论与实践之间日益增长的差异，从而削弱了民粹主义领导人的公信力。传达情感真实性，埃尔多安（Erdoğan）的眼泪有助于传达与人民的亲密信息，并在他的政治权力和经济财富日益使他与政治和经济边缘化者区分开的时候维持反精英的言论。它还试图证明威权主义做法的合理性，同时维持以民众权力名义进行统治的主张，并动员选民反对反对派。