Inside Scoop: Presidential boards under fire within AKP! 'They serve no purpose'

It is alleged that discussions have begun within the AKP regarding the Presidential Government System, which was adopted via the referendum on April 16, 2017, and implemented as of July 9, 2018.

According to a report by Besti Karalar from Ekonomim, the restructuring of the bureaucracy is being debated within the AKP. In this direction, while the reinstatement of undersecretariats is being discussed, reducing the number of deputy ministers from 3 to 1 has also come to the agenda.

It has been learned that the government is examining the problematic aspects of the Presidential Government System.

The most significant issue identified within institutions concerns the bureaucracy. It has been determined that the institutional structures changed with the transition to the Presidential Government System are not being adhered to. 

NUMBER OF MINISTRIES MAY CHANGE

On the other hand, the possibility of returning the number of ministries—which was reduced from 26 to 16 with the system—to its former state has been on the agenda for a long time. However, economic conditions are currently preventing this change. A study prepared regarding the potential separation of some merged ministries is currently waiting on the government's desk. It is stated that the government will bring this study back to its agenda in 2025.

"THE 9 BOARDS AFFILIATED WITH THE PRESIDENCY SERVE NO PURPOSE"

With the system, 9 boards affiliated with the Palace were established. These institutions, named the Local Government Policies Board, Social Policies Board, Health and Food Policies Board, Culture and Arts Policies Board, Legal Policies Board, Security and Foreign Policies Board, Economic Policies Board, Education and Training Policies Board, and Science, Technology and Innovation Policies Board, are also being criticized, with the view being defended that they do not provide much benefit to the system. Either abolishing these boards or downsizing and merging them is on the agenda.

Within the AKP, the view is being defended that the system's flaws must be identified and new solutions produced, or that a return to the previous system is necessary. In particular, the opinions that the established boards should be abolished and the abolished undersecretariats should be brought back as soon as possible are gaining weight. 

News Source: 12punto