AKP, MHP agree on presidential system

The leaders of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have agreed to submit a charter draft, which grants more executive powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to parliament next week, after the two leaders reviewed the text in a meeting on Dec. 1. 

"The works we have conducted with the MHP have reached a certain level, and after the last review is made, God willing, the AKP will submit the proposal of the constitutional amendment to parliament next week," Prime Minister and AKP leader Binali Yıldırım said after the meeting with MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli.

The two leaders gathered to discuss the constitutional amendment, including the shift to an executive presidential system, which was drafted by the AKP in line with the contributions of the MHP.

"We have made serious efforts to develop the text. The discussion today was positive in light of recent revisions," the MHP's leader said.

With 316 seats in parliament, the AKP needs at least 14 additional votes in the legislature to be able to take the constitutional amendment package to a referendum. With 40 seats, the MHP is poised to play a kingmaker's role on the proposal.

Yıldırım said the text would be submitted for a parliamentary vote as "a text that the MHP and the AKP agreed on, negotiated and reconciled on," so that the voting process would be taken accordingly.

"The style, writing and the form of the text needs a review. In that sense, our friends will finalize the text in one or two days by taking Mr. Bahçeli's and our points into consideration," Yıldırım said. 

A referendum will tentatively be scheduled 60 days after the parliamentary vote if the amendment passes in parliament with more...