Dissent within Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party over ‘presidential system’
Debates over establishment of a presidential system in Turkey have grown further since head of the Nationalist Movement Party (HDP) Devlet Bahçeli sparked the arguments again earlier in October this year. Though Bahçeli is in support of a system shift in Turkey ‘if that is also what the people would want’, several members of MHP stand against it.
Having been expelled from MHP recently because of his objections to his party’s stand on the issue, Antep MP Ümit Özdağ held a press conference at the Grand National Assembly along with other MHP MPs - Yusuf Halaçoğlu, Nuri Okutan, İsmail Ok - in opposition to the current decisions of their party management. MHP MPs vowed to fight against the presidential system that is being tried to brought upon in Turkey.
Talking on behalf of his collogues, expelled MP Özdağ argued that a presidential system would be at odds with the political culture of the country and said: “A search of a new system would lead Turkey into chaos. Countries that are going through a struggle for survival cannot have a system change; there is not example of it in history. Consequences of such thing would be too heavy on the people of the country.”
Also giving comments on the topic, MHP MP Halaçoğlu made a reminder that AKP has actually used the word ‘cumhurbaşkanı’ (term used in Turkish for the position Erdoğan is currently holding) instead of ‘başkan’ (president) just to cover up their intentions and to soften the reactions against presidential system. Halaçoğlu said: “Whether you call the head of state ‘cumhurbaşkanı’ or ‘başkan’, it is not going to make a difference: in the end, a presidential system will be at place. As Turkish nationalists, we are determined to not allow Turkey to get dragged down to a regime under a presidential system of a Reis (Chief).”
AKP has forwarded its draft constitution to MHP for review. It is expected for the joint-draft to be brought to Parliament floor during the following days.
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/mhp-nin-muhalif-vekilleri-baskanliga-kazan-kaldirdi-135899.html