Erdogan consolidates his power
TURKEY PRESIDENT FILLS CABINET WITH RELATIVES AND TRUSTED LIEUTENANTS WITH PROMISE OF ECONOMIC RENEWAL
Turkey’s president fills up cabinet with relatives and trusted lieutenants |
‘W e, as Turkey and as the Turkish people, are making a new start here today,” were the words of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking at his inauguration, vested with far-reaching and unprecedented powers.
“We are leaving behind the system that has in the past cost our country a heavy price in political and economic chaos.”
Erdogan, 64, was voted in for another round at the presidency last June, with 52.5 per cent of the votes, overseeing the systematic transfer of his country from a parliamentary system to a powerful executive presidency. He now gets to lead the executive branch after scrapping the post of prime minister, with the authority to hire and fire ministers, senior officials, judges, governor of the central bank, and vicepresidents — a novelty in Turkish politics, just introduced by Erdogan.
Not only is he entitled to all of that without seeking approval of parliament, he is now empowered to dismiss parliament at will, issue executive decrees, and declare martial law.
In addition to establishing a firm grip on the executive and judiciary branches, Erdogan also controls the legislative branch as well, after his Justice and Development Party (AKP) took 42.5 per cent of parliament last June, teaming up with the far-right National Movement Party for a majority bloc in the Turkish Chamber.
He has appointed his son-inlaw Berat Al Bayrak, a 40-year old former MP and businessman, as minister of finance and the Treasury in the 16-man cabinet, raising cries of nepotism from the opposition.
Fracture with West
Al Bayrak’s appointment is noteworthy, given Turkey’s numerous economic woes highlighted by the Turkish lira’s plunge.
High-pitched criticism of Erdogan’s behaviour — due to his cuddling up to both Iran and Russia — have strained relations with the Trump White House and the EU.
Donald Trump was absent from Erdogan’s inauguration and so were prominent European leaders who had previously praised him as a role model for moderate Islam. Replacing them in the Turkish parliament were Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir.
The drive towards these countries was commenced by Erdogan two years ago, and will likely be taken to new heights during his next term, as he abandons all hope of joining the EU, which was a cornerstone of his party’s foreign policy since 2003 but been on hold since 2005.
Last January, however, during a visit to Paris, he was bluntly told by President Emmanuel Macron that recent developments in Turkey (in reference to his increased authoritarianism) “don’t allow any progress” in EU membership.
“I would be lying if I said we could open new chapters,” the French President said, which prompted Erdogan to reply that Turkey was no longer interested and had already waited for far too long.
We are leaving behind the system that has in the past cost our country a heavy price in political and economic chaos.” Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Turkey’s President