AKP to issue key decrees for new executive presidential system
Nuray Babacan - ANKARA
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will issue two key decrees this week for the harmonization of current laws for the new executive presidential system that will fully go into effect with the inauguration of President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Erdoğan will issue his first presidential decree on July 9 that will mark the start of the new era.
Parliament had granted the existing AKP cabinet authority to issue decrees without parliamentary provision before the June 24 election in order to ensure the integration of the new executive system stipulated by the constitutional amendment ahead of the president’s inauguration.
As the new system dismantles the Prime Ministry post and transfers all of its authority to the president-elect, the cabinet is expected to issue two decrees this week that will first amend 800 laws stipulating the Prime Ministry’s organization and authorities. It is stated that around 5,000 articles will be amended, in which all terms of the Prime Ministry will be lifted and replaced by the president.
Cabinet will abolish all laws that stipulate ministries’ organizational structure, as the ministries will henceforth all be appointed by the president-elect.
In order to prevent any discrepancy in the executive system, the cabinet will also issue enactment laws to ensure the authorization of all institutions until the new system is fully integrated.
Upon the president’s inauguration, a new government will be formed and the cabinet’s authority to issue decrees will end.
The president-elect will then issue the first decree, after which the new ministries will be formed and the new organizational framework will be determined.
There will be 16 ministries in total and after the formation of the ministries with the decree, the new ministers will be appointed by Erdoğan.
There is no time limit for the appointment of the ministers but it is reported that 16 ministers will be appointed at the same time. After the new ministers take office, bureaucratic cadres will be appointed.
Presidential sources say the first decrees will cover basic regulations that will ensure the new executive system’s implementation. The other regulations about the system will be enabled gradually over time.
With the new system the undersecretary post will be lifted and replaced by more than one deputy minister, while sub-undersecretary posts will stay.
As there will be no undersecretary, the undersecretaries of national intelligence and security industry will become ministries and under the presidency.
Currently, around 1,800 posts - from undersecretary to provincial directorates - are appointed with the president’s approval. With the first three decrees, this number will be changed and the president will only appoint the posts that are in direct contact with the presidency while the other cadres will be appointed by ministers.
The archive and documents of the Prime Ministry have already started to be transferred to the Presidency.
Meanwhile, it is stated that presidential offices will work as “think-tank,” with boards that will propose policies to the related ministries.
