AKP prepares for revisions to the presidential system as part of new constitution agenda

The AKP is preparing to make changes to the Presidential Government System, which has been in effect since 2018, in conjunction with its efforts for a new constitution. In the party's "25th Year Vision" document announced two weeks ago, it was stated that "necessary revisions" would be made to the system based on the experience gained over the past eight years of implementation.

With the discussions on a new constitution gaining momentum again, it is reported that specific areas for regulation within the presidential system are taking shape within the AKP. Speaking to the newspaper Ekonomim, AKP officials argued that the political atmosphere they claim has recently emerged in Parliament should be evaluated.

"Even if a new constitutional amendment does not reach 467 votes, it could be passed with over 400 votes. We must evaluate this atmosphere. We are working on how to revise the system. The Presidential Government System will not change entirely, but there will be a visible revision, especially regarding Parliament."

KEY TOPICS IN THE REPORT

According to the AKP officials, the prepared report proposes that ministers be appointed from among members of parliament, as was the case in the parliamentary system. Under this proposal, ministers would retain their parliamentary seats but would not have voting rights on proposals and decisions discussed in committees or the General Assembly.

The report also includes a proposal to make it mandatory for ministers to attend discussions on legislative proposals related to their respective fields. Furthermore, it is on the agenda for ministers to respond to oral questions in the General Assembly twice a month, for a oversight session to be held every Tuesday every 15 days, and for all ministers to attend these sessions at least once per legislative year.

Another topic is the transfer of some of the President's powers to the Council of Ministers. It is being evaluated whether some decisions should be published with the signatures of both the President and the Council of Ministers, while others would be published with only the signature of the Council of Ministers. Abolishing the position of deputy minister and reintroducing the undersecretariat system is also among the recommendations in the report.

In the section regarding the electoral system, there is a claim that a "minimum 10-point difference" could be required between the two rounds of the presidential election. However, it is noted that the details of how this regulation would be implemented remain unclear and that there are still questions within the party regarding this topic.

Discussions on changes to the Presidential Government System have been raised previously. MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli has stated that legal regulations should be made to the system, while Chief Advisor to the President Mehmet Uçum has also expressed that the "50+1 percent" rule, in particular, should be addressed.

News Source: 12punto