ISTANBUL, January (30) - In a bid to justify his support for a change to the political system in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has suggested that the United Kingdom is run as a semi-presidential system in which the will of the Queen is dominant.
“In my opinion, Britain is a semi-presidency. The predominant constituent is the Queen,” Erdoğan said late on Jan. 29, during a live interview on public broadcaster TRT Haber.
His comments on the largely ceremonial monarchical system in the U.K. and its hereditary monarch Queen Elizabeth II came after he was reminded of opposition criticism that he actually wants to be a “sultan” through the presidential system.
“Look, is there a ‘padishah system’ in America at the moment? When it is America, it is not a padishah system; when it is Brazil, it is not a padishah system; when it is South Korea, it is not a padishah system, when it is Mexico, it is not a padishah system. I mean, why is it only a padishah system when an idea like this is floated in Turkey,” Erdoğan said.
Accused by critics of suppressing checks to his power in the judiciary and media, Erdoğan said this week that the question of constitutional change to cement the presidency should be a central issue in polls to be held by early June.
“The biggest advantage ... would be in abolishing policy-making through multiple channels,” he said, denouncing the “cacophony” that he said slowed down decision-making at the moment.
The president’s opponents say power has become too centralized in Turkey and the atmosphere poisoned by accusations of graft and purges against perceived enemies in the police and the judiciary.
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