Presidential system could be a chance for opposition CHP: former leader
by Daily Sabah
ISTANBULOct 22, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Daily Sabah
Oct 22, 2016 12:00 am
Former main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman and Antalya Deputy Deniz Baykal said that a presidential system, which the CHP has been opposing, could be a chance for his party to compete against its rivals if a qualified candidate is proposed.
Speaking on the issue in an interview with Turkish daily YeniBirlik, Baykal said that rather than completely refusing the option, the system should be debated.
"When the system becomes inevitable, we should take it into consideration. We should consider a presidential system in the troubled time that we have been going through," he said. Baykal's comments were made after the reappearance of debates on a presidential system, first with opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's remarks implying a referendum should be held on a presidential system, which was later responded to by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.
"The CHP should be able to hold a strong position that owns the project in its essence. I believe that the presidential regime would hold a very important place for our party," Baykal said, adding that a presidential system would increase the CHP's chances of becoming a ruling party.
Baykal added that the CHP should hold a stance that appeals to voters when it comes to its anti-terror policies, its fight against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and foreign policy issues. He added that if such an a stance is held by the party and a qualified candidate for the position is proposed, then the presidential system would be very important for the CHP and the party could see an increase in its votes.
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