Adem Altan—AFP
Erdogan loyalist Binali Yildirim wants to ‘end confusion’ by introducing new constitution, presidential system.
Turkey’s incoming prime minister Binali Yildirim on Sunday vowed to make a priority out of implementing the controversial plan of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a presidential system in the country.
“Turkey needs a new constitution. Are you ready to bring in a presidential system?” Yildirim, who is due to be confirmed as new premier later in the day, told a ruling party congress to cheers from the crowds. Turkey’s current constitution limits the powers of the president but Yildirm said everything had changed after Erdogan in August 2014 became the first Turkish president chosen in direct elections. “Now that the president is elected by the people nothing can be the same as it was,” he said.
With Erdogan, formerly Turkish premier and now clearly the uncontested number one in the country, Yildirim said the priority now had to be to legalize the current “de-facto” situation.
“We have to put an end to this confusion. The way to this is a new constitution and presidential system,” he said.
To achieve their goal, Yildirim and Erdogan will have to find a three fifths majority in the Turkish parliament to call a referendum on the issue, or a two thirds majority for direct approval. The ruling party is currently short of either number of seats, meaning it will have to change the composition of parliament through defections or expulsions of M.P.s or call new elections.