Three strikes and you're out but one strike seems to be okay

Politicians in young democracies can be a combustible bunch - brawls have been observed in places as far flung as 1990s Russia, South Korea, Ukraine and Taiwan to name a few.  In Greece, a member of the fascist Golden Dawn punched a female member of the Communist Party in a TV 'debate'.  Even in mature democracies, no-nonsense politicians can suddenly turn into Fists of Fury, though it is rarer - the most notable being John Prescott responded to having an egg cracked over his head in the 2001 election campaign with a quick one-two towards his agent provocateur, gaining the sobriquet 'Two Jabs Prescott' (né Two Jags Prescott).  Now, those that get hit by eggs in this country either beat a hasty retreat (Nigel Farage, in an almost Benny Hill routine, comes out of a Land Rover one side, get hit by an egg and exits into the other side of the Rover) or make light of it (Ed Miliband, at a street market).  Crack aficionado Toronto mayor Rob Ford gets a mention in dispatches for pushing over a female politician in the regional legislature.
With a military coup as recently as 1980 and interference from the barracks for the next quarter of a century, Turkey falls into the former category of ingénue democratic polities.  Still, at around the same time photographs were being circulated of an aide kicking a prostrate associate of the grieving families, the Turkish prime minister himself was seen punching one of the citizens of the mining town of Soma - where the disaster occurred - caught on video and put on YouTube (the poster gets a little confused, calling the area 'Somalia').  For sure, it's not nice to be called a 'murderer'(or some such) to your face but a politician should never react that way to verbal abuse.  Erdoğan's speech afterwards was focussed more on absolving his government of blame than providing consolation for the families and action for the future.  No doubt, if forced to give a speech defending his pugilistic behaviour, Erdoğan would reel off a list similar to that I outlined earlier.
It's tempting to say that in a mature democracy Erdoğan would be facing a battle for his political future but that would be both unfair and patronising, as Rod Ford's endurance in Toronto bears testament.  Gordon Brown's poll ratings as prime minister rose instead of falling after being accused of being a bully within his office.  Erdogan is a canny politician as evidenced by his subjugation of the army to civilian rule (and a largely compliant media helps) but the term 'streetfighter' to indicate a survivor in a certain arena (be it politics, sport, etc) now has unpleasant connotations.