Presidential candidate must vow to reinstate parliamentary system, Babacan says

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said on Sept. 21 that any presidential candidate his Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) supports would have to ink a roadmap to transitioning back to a parliamentary system.

Wednesday September 22 2021 11:27 am

Duvar English

Turkey's next presidential candidate should vow to re-implement the parliamentary government system, former deputy prime minister and founder of Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) Ali Babacan said during a Haber Global broadcast on Sept. 21.

Often viewed as one of the failed projects President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan undertook in his time, an executive presidential system was implemented with a referendum in 2017.

Babacan said that any candidate his party supports, whether they emerge from DEVA or an alliance, should have their full support behind a parliamentary system.

"They need to sign their name under a roadmap to reversing to a parliamentary system," Babacan said.

Noting that the winning candidate will come into the seat of the presidency with its current authorities, Babacan said that the risk ensues that the future president "could become the biggest obstacle to the transition."

"Call it a transition or a roadmap. The steps and calendar for switching back to the parliamentary system need to be agreed on beforehand among political parties," Babacan said. "We can't let any accidents happen along the way."

The ruling People's Alliance is working to amend the constitution to allow for deeper-rooted implementation of the presidential system, Babacan noted, adding that DEVA will only be in negotiations with parties that support the parliamentary system.