President should have links to party in new constitution: Erdoğan

The president should retain links with his political party because an impartial head of state causes "weakness in legislative activities," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, speaking after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) delivered its draft for a new constitution to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).  

"We will make our assessment after we have examined the text in detail. But my opinion is that if a president is disconnected from his party there will be further weakness in political activities in the country," Erdoğan said on Nov. 16 at a press conference before leaving for an official visit to Pakistan.

Turkey's current constitution obliges the president to cut links to their political party as soon as they are elected head of state, in line with the principle of impartiality. 

Erdoğan's comments come amid discussion of the scope of constitutional amendments, after the AKP officially conveyed its draft to the MHP on Nov. 16.

MHP head Devlet Bahçeli said the draft includes a shift to the presidential system but only covers partial amendments focused on "eliminating a de facto imposition," addressing concerns that he said prompted him to propose bringing constitutional amendments to a public vote on Oct. 11. Bahçeli had said Erdoğan was violating the constitution by acting against the rule of impartiality and this de facto situation should be legalized.  

Erdoğan also argued that the president should not be considered "impartial" in the political sense in the new constitution, in order to eliminate the "de facto presidency."

"If they are taking such a step [the address the situation] that Mr. Bahçeli considers a 'de facto presidency' … then it would not be right to unlink the president's...