ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has made one of his strongest calls yet for the country to “make a jump” towards a presidential system, saying Sunday’s election will nurture people’s enthusiasm for the kind of executive presidency he has long sought.
His vision for a hands-on president sets him in sharp contrast with his main rival, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, who has warned against an executive-style system, arguing that the head of state should be impartial and rise above the turbulence of daily politics.
The stark difference between the two main rivals’ visions for the role of the president means the Sunday election is not only about choosing who should be Turkey’s 12th President but also how that President should rule.
“I see that my nation will embrace the presidential system with this election and will start talking about it,” Erdogan told Kanal 24 television late on Monday. “They will say ‘I chose the president, why should I not choose an executive president’ ... It makes sense for advanced countries to generally have a presidential system, or a semi-presidential system,” he said. “We have to make a jump.”
Turks will vote directly for their president for the first time on August 10. Previous heads of state have been chosen by parliament.
Ihsanoglu, a veteran Islamic scholar nominated jointly by opposition parties, has warned that a president with a political agenda would only add to the strains within Turkish society.
Turkey’s constitution makes reference to the necessity of the president being impartial, saying that the president-elect should cut any ties with his party.
Introducing an executive presidency would require changes to the constitution, which could be easier for the ruling AK Party if it wins a stronger parliamentary majority in elections next year. A two-thirds majority in parliament would be enough to enact constitutional changes without the need for a referendum. Senior party officials have said that Erdogan is likely in the meantime to work with a ‘council of wise men’ to help him oversee government business. They say the presidency’s weight will be felt more in decisions.
REUTERS
