Turkish President Erdoğan likely to chair Cabinet meeting before New Year

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced his intention to chair a Cabinet meeting before the end of 2014, underlining once again that this is a constitutional right granted to the head of the Turkish state.

“These authorities are already in the Constitution. Not using that authority would not be appropriate. God willing, we will use that authority too,” Erdoğan said, after being reminded that although he was elected in late August he has still yet to chair the Cabinet, somewhat contrary to expectations.

“Of course, I do [intend to chair a Cabinet meeting]. God willing, we will enter 2015 in that way,” Erdoğan told a small group of journalists late on Nov. 21, returning to Istanbul from Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, after attending the second Africa-Turkey Summit.

In the run-up to the presidential election in August, which he won in the first round, Erdoğan repeatedly stated that the current Constitution grants “executive power” to a president who comes to office via the popular vote, just as the 1982 Constitution granted “executive power” to the 1980 military coup leader Kenan Evren.