All four political parties represented in the Turkish parliament want a new “civilian” constitution to replace the one imposed by a putchist military 31 years ago. The problem is that the same four parties that agree to "no’’ on the September 12 military constitution cannot agree to "yes" on a new draft constitution.

There are two main reasons for the discord. The first is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s desire to replace the Turkish parliamentary regime with an executive presidential regime on his own terms. A proposal for Erdogan’s “à la carte” authoritarian presidential system has been submitted to the parliamentary Constitutional Reconciliation Commission.

There is no doubt that if Erdogan submits a draft putting the choice of a presidential system to a referendum — and if it is approved — his goal will be to take his place in history as the first executive president of the Turkish Republic. This is the challenge confronting the parliamentary opposition.

The presidential system proposed by Erdogan envisions a majoritarian and authoritarian regime. Through it, a president endowed with excessive powers will dominate the executive and have supremacy over the legislative and judicial branches. A minimal of checks and balances will not remain. Judicial independence will be terminated.