Erdogan Seeks Kurdish AlliesFor New Turkish Constitution
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking allies to support a new Turkish constitution, writes Kadri Gursel.
![Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara April 19, 2010. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2D060](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2013/02/RTR2D060.jpg/RTR2D060.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=SPvOAPlk)
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.