Turkey has serious problems of its own, starting with a court case that threatens to outlaw the ruling Justice and Development (AK) party for threatening the country's secular order.

ECONOMIST: Enlargement enriches old as well as new members

He signed a bill to outlaw partial-birth abortion (and supported lots of smaller initiatives to limit abortion rights).

ECONOMIST: The Reagan legacy

In both cases, this involved polygamy among Mormons, first when Lincoln banned bigamy in 1862 (the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act) and again in 1890 when the federal government insisted Utah outlaw polygamy as a condition of becoming a state.

ECONOMIST: Gay marriage