Initial Approval of New Turkish Constitution Aimed at Establishing a Presidential System

The Turkish Parliament has given a positive vote to the draft of a new constitution in the first stage of its review. This law, which has sparked 'heated debates', will be put to a referendum if it receives final approval in the coming days. The Turkish state news agency reports that 481 representatives out of 550 members of Parliament voted in favor of the new constitution draft. The 'Republicans' and the 'People's Democratic Party' have expressed their opposition to this draft. The second review will take place in two days on January 29, and it is not expected to yield anything other than final approval. The final approval requires at least 330 votes. The ruling 'Justice and Development' Party has 317 representatives in Parliament. Ultimately, it will be put to a referendum at the beginning of spring. The Associated Press reports that the initial vote by Turkish Parliament members on the new constitution draft follows a week of heated political debates and discussions. The new constitution could bring structural changes to Turkey's political system, the most notable of which is the increase in the powers of the country's president. According to Agence France-Presse, this law could expand the executive powers of the president, including the direct appointment of cabinet ministers. The president will be able to select one or more vice presidents for himself, and ultimately, the position of prime minister, which is the executive position in Turkey and the head of the Council of Ministers, will be abolished. The prime minister's position in Turkey is typically held by the largest party in Parliament. Agence France-Presse states that the new constitution will grant more power to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the near future. According to the Turkish state news agency, the new constitution states that in the event of a 'rebellion against the homeland' or 'violent actions that threaten the country's integrity', the president has the right to ask Parliament to declare a state of emergency. The number of parliamentary seats will increase from the current 550 to 600, and the minimum age for candidacy will be reduced from 25 to 18 years. Members of Parliament will be elected for five years instead of the current four years, and on the same day as the presidential elections. If the new constitution is finally approved, the next elections will be held in November 2019. However, there is a possibility that if Erdoğan is re-elected, it will be as if he has been elected for the first time; he is currently in the middle of a two-term limit for this position. As a result, there is a possibility that the approval of the new law and Erdoğan's victory in the next elections will secure his power for the next 12 years. However, this issue is still not entirely clear, and the Turkish presidency has promised to clarify it. Supporters of the constitutional change argue that these changes are necessary to increase power in the fight against terrorist threats. Opponents say that establishing a partisan presidential system will lead to the growth of autocracy and tyranny.