‘PM seeks monarchy through presidency’

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli says PM Erdoğan’s ultimate target is to change the existing regime. DAILY NEWS photo

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli said yesterday that the ruling party’s presidential system proposal aims at one-man rule for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and its ultimate target is to change the existing regime.

For the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the prime minister’s personal interests are above everything, Bahçeli told a parliamentary group meeting of his party.

Referring to a proposal presented by the AKP in the executive section discussions at Parliament’s Constitution Conciliation Commission on Nov. 20, Bahçeli said this proposal should be accepted as “preparation for one-man rule through democracy.” He also argued that the proposal itself is against the essence and spirit of a presidential system.

The AKP doesn’t aim for effectiveness and productivity in administration with this proposal, Bahçeli said. “The AKP’s secret intent and target within the presidential system is a change of regime under the name of an administrative model… Prime Minister Erdoğan expects the rebuilding of a constitutional monarchy, and he expects himself to be the elected sultan and is making efforts toward this.”

The AKP’s proposal preserves the unitary structure with a single Parliament, while giving extraordinary authority to the president.

According to the proposal the president and vice president would be able to be elected twice, while their terms in office would last five years, just as in the current system. In addition, the president will have the authority to dissolve Parliament, while Parliament will also be able to recall the president. In such an event, both the president and members of Parliament would have to be re-elected.