Turkey issues a decree assigning more powers to the President

Turkey, July 4: Adapting presidential system resulting from last month’s presidential and parliamentary elections, Turkey issued a decree on Wednesday transferring some powers to the President.

 

Making changes to the laws dating from 1924 to 2017, the office gazette issued a decree shifting references to the prime minister and cabinet of ministers to the president and the president’s office. In a referendum last year, Turks voted by a narrow majority to move to a powerful executive presidency. The political change is being ushered in after President Tayyip Erdogan’s triumph in the June 24 elections.

The office of prime minister is to be abolished and Erdogan will be able to form and regulate ministries and remove civil servants, all without parliamentary approval.

The government has been issuing decrees, bypassing parliament, since a state of emergency imposed following an attempted military coup in July 2016. Erdogan has promised to lift emergency rule after the election.

The changes in the latest decree will take effect when Erdogan takes the oath of office, expected in parliament on July 8 or 9.