Turkey: Expanded powers and tightened government for Erdogan

Re-elected on 24 June for a new presidential term, Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be given considerably stronger powers under a constitutional reform adopted by referendum in April 2017.

Here are the main provisions:

– Expanded powers –

This text provides for the transfer of most of the executive power to the president, who will appoint the ministers himself, on Monday. It will also designate one or more vice-presidents.

The post of prime minister, currently occupied by Binali Yildirim, will disappear.

Under this reform, the Head of State will choose directly or indirectly six members of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK), responsible for appointing and removing the staff of the judicial system. Parliament will choose seven.

– Government tightened –

According to a video posted on the Twitter account of Mr. Erdogan during the campaign, the government will now have 16 ministries, against 26 – besides the Prime Minister – currently.

Many departments will be merged. This is particularly the case of the Ministry of European Affairs, which will now be integrated into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This will also be the case of the Ministry of Customs and Trade which will be integrated into a wider Ministry of Economy.

In addition to ministries, the presidency should build on nine "commissions" that cover areas such as education, economic policies, and international and security issues.

Other institutions will now be headed by the presidency, such as intelligence and religious affairs, which hitherto depended on the Prime Minister's office.

– The state of emergency –

According to the constitutional reform, a state of emergency may be instituted in case of "uprising against the fatherland" or "violent actions that put the nation (…) in danger of dividing".

The president will decide whether or not to declare a state of emergency before submitting the matter to Parliament.

The state of emergency can not initially be set up for more than 6 months, then it can be extended for a maximum of 4 months at a time.

During the campaign, the incumbent president promised, after opposition candidates had done so, to lift the state of emergency currently in effect since the failed coup of July 2016.

– The Parliament –

The number of MPs increased from 550 to 600 in the June 24 election. The eligibility age for becoming a Member of Parliament has been lowered from 25 to 18 years.

Legislative and presidential elections are now held simultaneously and every five years, compared with four previously.

Parliament will still have the power to develop, amend or repeal laws. He will oversee the president's actions, but the president may promulgate decrees in areas falling within the broad sphere of his executive powers.

On the other hand, the text specifies that the president will not be able to promulgate a decree on subjects already clearly regulated by the law.

If the President of the Republic is accused or suspected of having committed an offense, the Parliament may demand an inquiry, after having received a three-fifths majority.

– President until 2028? –

The president, who is no longer bound to sever ties with his party, can only sit for two five-year terms.

For Erdogan, the mandate he has held since his election as president in August 2014 under the old system after 12 years as prime minister will not be taken into account.

million. Erdogan, 64, could theoretically stay at the helm of the country until 2028.