President Erdogan announced a three-month state of emergency for Turkey following a failed military coup attempt last Friday. A state of emergency makes it easier for the government to arrest people. The government can also bypass parliament in order to create laws. Erdogan defended his decision, saying it was necessary to preserve democracy. More than 7,000 people have been detained in relation to the attempted coup, including a third of the nation’s top military officials. Thousands of teachers, judges, and police officers also lost their jobs after being linked to a cleric who promotes government dissent.