Erdoğan: System change in Turkey would create many more Erdoğans

Turkey's autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who has been advocating a change to executive presidency said on Thursday that  if Turkey could establish a system with a strong foundation, many more Tayyip Erdoğans and successful leaders would emerge.

In response to questions on what would happen after his rule if switch to executive presidency is approved by the people in April 16 referendum, Erdoğan told reporters on way back from his trip to Pakistan the following:

“ If we establish a system with strong foundations and consolidate it, many more Tayyip Erdoğans and successful executives would emerge.¨

Erdoğan defended transition to an all-powerful presidential system claiming a better future for Turkey.

In addition, Erdoğan said voting no to the system change in April 16 referendum would mean supporting the arguments of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). ¨If I say no, my vote would go to Qandil¨ Erdoğan went on to say in reference to the armed center of the PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan.

According to Erdoğan, a no vote would also mean loss of stability in Turkey.

Critics oppose the system change since it will allow the president even to dissolve the parliament.

Since its foundation in 1923, Turkey has been run a parliamentary system with a president vested mostly with symbolic powers. (turkishminute.com) March 2, 2017

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