Turkish President approves constitutional amendments on boost of presidential powers

Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan approved a set of constitutional amendments on Friday, February 10, that will boost the presidential powers and will actually imply country’s shift from the parliamentary to the presidential system of governance. Under the Turkish legislation, the amendments should be approved at the referendum.

Before that, the constitutional amendments passed the parliament by exceeding the 330-vote threshold. The referendum is likely to be held on April 16, though the final date shall be approved by the electoral administration.

Under the constitutional amendments, a strong partisan presidential system will be introduced in the country. The President will take over all authorities of the executive government and will be entitled to issue decrees in effect of law, to declare state of emergency and dissolve the Parliament.

According to the amendments, Parliament will be stripped of some powers and the structure of the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors will be changed.

The Turkish Constitution in effect was adopted in 1982. A package of new constitutional amendments was passed as a result of referendum in 2007, under which the president shall be elected  by universal suffrage, rather than by Parliament, as envisaged by the old Constitution.  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), who used to hold the Turkish Premier’s post since 2003, won the first direct presidential election in Turkey in 2014.