Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will rule the country with presidential decrees following his official oath on July 9 as Turkey adopts the new executive presidential system.
Erdoğan will establish his ministerial cabinet with a “fast functioning” mechanism with a stronger grip on the executive power for the benefit of the capitalist class as Turkey adopted the new system after a referendum in April 2017 when Erdoğan’s ‘yes’ side won the poll with a narrow margin amid the allegations of fraudulence.
Erdoğan will be the first executive president as the June 24 presidential voting marked Turkey’s transition to the new government system. He and his ruling AKP party ruled the country with statutory decrees under the state of emergency for about two years following the failed coup in July 2016.
Ali Rıza Aydın, a columnist from soL News and the chair of the Left Stance in Law, evaluated the new execution system for readers. He underlined that presidential decrees will replace for the state of emergency decrees.
Indicating to the impotence of the parliament over presidential decrees with the new execution system, Aydın said that there would be no need for ministerial decrees or prime ministerial memorandums since the prime ministry office was abolished following the transition to the presidential government system.
Aydın also talked about the role of parliament considering that Erdoğan’s AKP party lost the majority of the seats as it could not exceed the number of 300 seats out of 600 in total. However, it should be noted that the ultra-far Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which allied with the AKP at recent elections, has declared that they would support Erdoğan’s party in difficult conditions.
Aydın indicated to potential controversies in the event of contradictory lawmaking processes between presidential decrees and the laws passed by the parliament, adding that it remains ambiguous what office could solve such disputes.
Regarding the president’s scope of authorities, Aydın stated that the establishment or abolishment of ministries, the foundation of central and local organs, their tasks and authorities would be adjusted with presidential decrees. In accordance to the new system, Erdoğan will also be able to adjust the procedures regarding the assignment of all the senior administrators.
Aydın concluded that there would be disputes regarding the control of the constitutional court over presidential decrees, adding that Erdoğan will be equipped with almost unrestricted authorities in terms of “conjuncture law” particularly for the advantage of the private sector and capitalist entities.
Erdoğan’s rule will rule the country without checks and balances with “fast decision processes” through decrees in favour of capitalists as the role of parliament further diminished in the new system.
