Turkey a step closer to expanding powers of President Erdogan

Turkey was a key step closer to dramatically expanding the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the country’s Parliament approved, on first reading, the two final sections of the 18-article new constitution on Sunday night, a bill critics fear will lead to one-man rule.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) mustered the necessary 330 or more votes — a three-fifths majority — needed to adopt the constitutional change and send it to a referendum for final approval.

The constitution plan will now go to a second reading in the Ankara parliament expected to start on Wednesday where the 18 articles will again be debated one byone.

The proposed changes, which would create an executive presi- dency for the first time in modern Turkey, are controversial and far-reaching. The president would have the power to appoint and fire ministers, while the post of prime minister will be abolished.

Instead, there would be a vice president, or possibly several.

The proposed changes would also widen the scope of conditions in which the president can declare an emergency.

Parliamentary elections and presidential ballots would be held simultaneously, with the draft giving November 3, 2019 as the poll date.

The changes are opposed by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). The third largest party, the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is planning to boycott the vote. AFP