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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent remarksequating birth control to an act of treasonhave stirred up yet another storm in Turkey and abroad.

The comment is the latest in a series that have made headlines in both international and Turkish media outlets, and also lit up social media platforms with exchanges reflecting the divide between Turkey's secularists and conservative Muslims.

It has also prompted questioning of the media's reporting of statements by a politician who himselffrequently accuses international and domestic media ofdistorting his words.

Turkey, a NATO member and candidate for EU membership, is seen as a secular republic with a functioning democracy, bordering both Europe and the Middle East.

In the early years of his leadership in 2000s, Erdogan was widely seen by the West as a moderate conservative, aiming to improve Turkeys democratic standards and economy. He managed to set off EU membership talks 2005, but the process has been stalled for years now.

Western perception of the Turkish leader has changed in tandem with Erdogans rhetoric.

While some say that Erdogan's choice of words coupled with their interpretation by media outlets contribute to turning every statement he makes into a headline, others argue that his remarks merely reflect his hardline ideology.

RELATED:Women blast Erdogan over 'hate crime'

In his remarks on birth control, Erdogan, whose opposition to abortion and contraception is no secret, steered cleared of religious references. Hewas referring to its economic dimensions, saying birth control threatened Turkey's bloodline.

Erdogan urged a couple at their wedding on Sunday to have at least three children to help boost Turkish population figures, in keeping with this oft-repeated worries about Turkey's declining birth rate.

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Why do Erdogan's words make headlines?