Presidential system to make Turkey 'stronger': minister

By Seval Ocak Adiyaman

ANKARA

Turkey needs a presidential system to be stronger economically and politically, Development Minister Lutfi Elvan said Friday.

Speaking at Anadolu Agency's Editors' Desk in Ankara, Elvan said: "We want to jump to a higher level in terms of economy and politics. For this, we believe the presidential system is essential."

Constitutional changes, in particular, the call for a presidential system, has been on the political agenda since Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the former prime minister and current AK Party leader, was elected president in August 2014.

That election was the first in which a Turkish president was chosen directly by popular vote.

Elvan said Turkey's democracy would become stronger with a presidential system. He added that fundamental rights of people would also get a boost, especially since the legislative, executive, and judicial organs of the state would work much better under such a system.

"The executive system will have the opportunity to make quicker decisions and the legislative system will have the opportunity to provide a more independent decision. The presidential system is a system that will take us to a higher level," he said.

About the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Elvan said so far 350 personnel had been dismissed from his ministry for suspected links to FETO.

He added that a high-level deputy undersecretary, two general directors and 10 department heads were among those dismissed.

Led by the U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, FETO is accused of orchestrating Turkey’s July 15 coup plot as well as being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

The July 15 defeated coup left 241 people martyred and some 2,200 injured.