BDP may discuss presidential system

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

BDP’s Altan Tan says his party sees no problems in discussing a shift to presidency, an offer that might put Erdoğan to the country’s top chair. AA photo

The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) has given the green light to the ruling Justice and Development Party’s bid to replace the current system of parliamentary democracy with a presidential system in the new Constitution, with BDP deputy Altan Tan saying that his party finds the suggestion open for discussion.

The BDP, which stuck to its original suggestion of keeping the current system but electing a president with a public vote, may consider discussing the issue at Parliament’s Constitution Reconciliation Commission, Tan told the Daily News yesterday.

“We discuss many issues. Why shouldn’t we discuss the AKP’s presidential suggestion? There is no problem with us,” said Tan, who is one of three BDP members in the commission.

 “If the suggestion [on the presidential] system comes up, we will see it. We may agree with some parts and reject some. There might be parts to be revised. We are open to discussing this issue.”

Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), reportedly said he backed the AKP’s offer, according to daily Milliyet, which claims to have seen the minutes of a Feb. 23 meeting between Öcalan and three BDP members as a part of talks to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue.

Atilla Kart, a Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy and member of the commission, told the Daily News that the BDP leans toward the presidential system. “I can see that they are warming to the AKP offer. But I cannot say that they are united under the idea,” he said.