Erdogan rejects opposition's presidential system claims

By Hatice Kesgin

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday denied opposition parties’ claims that a presidential system would violate Turkey’s current separation of powers.

Speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Erdogan said Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) claims were untrue.

“The legislative body, executive and judiciary will still exist in the same way as before. There is no point in destroying the separation of powers,” Erdogan said.

The Turkish president also said destroying these institutions was “out of the question”.

Erdogan said the referendum would be held in mid-April and the “ultimate decision maker” -- the Turkish people -- would vote.

Merkel said efforts must be made to ensure the separation of powers and the diversity of society during this “deep political transformation”.

Constitutional reform and the change to a presidential system has been on the political agenda since Erdogan, a former prime minister and Justice and Development (AK) Party leader, was elected president in August 2014.

This marked the first time a Turkish president had been directly chosen by popular vote.

On Dec. 30, a constitutional committee of deputies from the ruling AK Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) submitted a proposed bill to parliament for ratification.

The CHP and HDP remain opposed to the proposed changes.