Amid regional instability, Turkey focuses on domestic agenda

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party are engrossed in the transition to a presidential system, but unrelenting developments in the Middle East will leave Ankara facing major regional problems.
Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan greets members of his ruling AK Party (AKP) as he arrives at a meeting at the party headquarters in Ankara August 14, 2014. Turkish president-elect Erdogan urged his ruling AK Party on Thursday to work for a stronger parliamentary majority next year to enable them to re-write the constitution, signalling no let-up in his drive to create an executive presidency. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR42E72
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urges his ruling Justice and Development Party to work for a stronger parliamentary majority next year to enable it to rewrite the constitution, Aug. 14, 2014. - REUTERS/Umit Bektas
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Semih Idiz
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Having won the presidential election, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) were engrossed in the transition to a presidential system imbued with executive powers. They have major hurdles to overcome before this can happen, starting with finding an individual to replace Erdogan as the AKP head without causing a debilitating power struggle in the party.

There is also a pressing need to prepare for the next general elections, planned for 2015, which will be crucial for the AKP. The party must emerge from the elections stronger than today, so it can amend the constitution and establish the presidential system Erdogan wants.

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