PM Yıldırım: ‘If presidential system is not accepted, Turkey will face the risk of partition’
Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım gave a speech at AKP’s İstanbul Advisory Council today (October 30). As the crowd in the room shouted ‘We want presidency’, the PM responded by saying: “Don’t worry! The squares will get heated up soon!” When giving further explanations about the ongoing works on drafting a new constitution, PM said: “If presidential system is not accepted, Turkey will face the risk of partition.”
‘AKP has been carrying on the legacy of the Republic’
Referring to the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey, which was celebrated on October 29, Yıldırım praised the independence struggle of the nation in the past and asserted that his party ‘has been carrying on that legacy and aim to continue doing so as part of their 2023 goals’, when it will be the 100th year. Also extending his ‘gratitue to all martyrs’, Yıldırım mentioned ‘Veteran Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his friends’ with appreciation and added: “Be it FETÖ or the seperatists in Turkey; the strength of this nation will never ever go down in the face of their actions! It is always going to rise!
‘We have gained important lessons from July 15’
Talking about the coup attempt and the ‘spirit of unity’ – which is mostly referred by AKP as the ‘Yenikapı Spirit’ – that he claims to have been embraced by everyone all across Turkey, PM Yıldırım said: “Millions of our citizens crowded the squares for Democracy Duty Meetings that lasted for 27 days… We have 246 martyrs and 2194 veterans… We have gained important lessons from this painful experience… Be it within or outside of our borders, we are competent enough to tackle down all that intend to attack this noble nation. We are going to save (this country) from FETÖ, DAESH, and this and that…”
‘Our leader Erdoğan had said in 2001 that nothing was going to be the same’
Asserting that AKP has brought about dramatic changes in the fields of infrastructure, health, education, and welfare system, Yıldırım mentioned the early times of AKP and said: “When AKP started off its journey in 2001, our founding leader and chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had said something at that blessed moment: ‘Nothing will be the same from now on!’ 3 November 2002 is a starting point for AK Party.”
‘If CHP had allowed for election of president by people, we would not have been talking about system problem now’
Yıldırım pointed out the initial start of the debates over a system change in Turkey and said: “While we gave service on one side, we also fought against the coup-lovers on the other. The very initial interference was with the e-memorandum of April 27. So, you come into power with 363 parliamentarians and they say ‘you cannot elect the president.’ And, we said the solution lies with the nation and the nation made its decision ‘to choose its president.’ That’s how the way for election of the president by the people had been opened. It was the most significant change in the executive system of Turkey. It is also the point when the debates over the presidential system began. If CHP had allowed the election of the president in the parliament during that time, we would not have had the need for talking about a system problem. CHP has never yielded to the will of the people throughout its political life… “
‘The coup plotters had organized the Gezi protests’
Drawing attention to obstacles AKP was faced with throughout its governments, Yıldırım said: “Coup-lovers wanted to close AK Party; we repelled that, too. They still did not stop and tried to do it through the judiciary. We asked the people again and overcame that problem through a judicial reform. Then, they organized the Gezi protests. By saying ‘tree and green’, they got overwhelmed with a desire to overthrow the government. During Gezi incidents, the son of this nation Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said ‘we are not going to be deterred by Gezi protestors; we are going to make roads and we are also going to have the hearts of our nation.’ Then, they plotted the 17-25 December... They hit rough weather with that, too. Our president gave them their lesson on that morning by saying ‘we are never going to leave this country to the hands of the coup plotters.’ Having tried to draw attention to FETÖ on that day, our president was not able to make his voice heard, unfortunately. Many political parties could not comprehend how deep the seriousness of this issue was. Eventually, AKP was faced with its biggest test on July 15... They could not calculate one thing right: the power of the people.”
‘CHP chair Kılıçdaroğlu must apologize’
In a recent interview, CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu had referred to the night of the coup attempt and said the whereabouts of the President was uncertain while the parliament building was getting bombed from air. Mentioning these comments of Kılıçdaroğlu, PM Yıldırım said: “This is a very unfair and improper statement. On the night of July 15, Turkey had gone through a great danger… CHP chair must apologize… The courage and resistance that our President demonstrated on that night was looked upon with admiration in the whole world.”
‘If presidential system is not accepted, Turkey will face the risk of partition’
“The latest Constitution of 1980 has been enforced under martial law and it is far beyond meeting the demands of Turkey. All political parties say that. Turkey needs a constitution that is fitting for its developing economy; reflecting the will of the people; allowing for the implementation of separation of power without flaws; and, embracing all citizens. Although all parties promise about this before the elections, they forget it once the elections are over. So, we say that let’s get this constitutional amendment done with. Now, we have got together. And, the representatives of three parties came together and carried out the joint meetings for that. My suggestion is this: at least, let’s pass these 7 articles as AKP, CHP, and MHP and get it over with… Including the question of presidential system, let’s overcome other points… A President that is elected by the people must also have relevant constitutional responsibilities. But the current Constitution does not allow that. With the proposed amendments, the legislative power of the Parliament will be strengthened and the executive body will be designed in such a way so as to guarantee executive actions solely. In order for Turkey to realize its 2023 goals and to fight with things like FETÖ, BETÖ, etc. a single headed government must be established. And, the way for that to actualize is through presidential system. If presidential system is not accepted, Turkey will face the risk of partition. I say this very openly!”
‘We want a modern constitution’
Also giving a response in regards to speculations about AKP aiming to eventually create a system of ‘states’ within Turkey, PM Yıldırım said his party has not such goal and added: “We are talking about a modern constitution that would assign priority to the country’s indivisibility and separate the branches of legislation, execution, and judiciary…The current system in Turkey has not name; and, there is no other like it in the world. It’s like half presidential, half parliamentarian. The coup officials (of 1980) filled up the constitution with all kinds of authorities. It is quite strange. It has to change. This is what we want to do.”
Adding that the details of the proposed amendments will be shared with the public within the following days, Yıldırım underlined that AKP does not hold the parliamentary power to pass a bill for establishment of a presidential system and called on MHP and CHP to support them on this.
Yıldırım also touched on terror threats Turkey has been facing with and said ‘necessary precautions are taken with regards to blocking DAESH and PYD/YPG and wiping out all terror threats at every corner within Turkey.’