Fists are flying and emotions are high in Turkey this week, as the parliament debates constitutional changes that would drastically expand the powers of President Tayyip Erdogan.

Unrest shows the limits of Erdogan’s room for maneuver.

Over the past several weeks a rift has appeared between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ideological former partner, a reclusive imam who preaches tolerance and runs a worldwide network of charities and schools from a refuge in the Poconos. The split is dividing Turkey, and it could have the effect of ending years of economic growth.

Turkey’s political crisis took a dark turn this week. Photos of Prime Minister Erdoğan’s son meeting a suspected al-Qaeda financier in an Istanbul hotel were leaked to the press. If these reports hold any water, Erdoğan could be in serious trouble.