Report: Presidential system more effective to control executive body
Concerning the supervisory power of the legislation with the new governmental system proposed by the constitutional amendment package being brought to a nationwide vote on April 16, a report published by the Political, Economic and Social Research Foundation (SETA) advocates that the presidential system is an effective way to control the executive body compared to Turkey's traditional parliamentary system.
The report titled, "Supervisory Power of the Parliament in the Presidential System" was prepared by Prof. Haluk Alkan and suggests thinking of a supervisory power separately for both the presidency system and parliamentary system. According to Alkan, the abolishment of a two-headed system where the people determine the executive and legislative bodies in a separate election will help strengthen the supervisory power of the Parliament that is weak under the current system of governance.
The report states that verbal and written questions in the current parliamentary system, which are control mechanisms working in case the government members want it, have no serious effects on the government because it has no sanction. Therefore, if verbal and written questions are removed under the new system, it does not mean a serious loss in terms of supervisory power. However, according to Alkan, parliamentary inquiry transforms into a good vision under the presidency system because, unlike the parliamentary system, committees on inquiries and subsequent reports will likely to be open for the public to monitor, helping put pressure on the executive body that carts out the policies more easily due to the restrictions on representatives from within the executive body on the committees. Therefore, as Alkan indicates in the report, changes in the parliamentary inquiry move parliament beyond its current function, allowing parliament to obtain information on a significant issue.
Regarding the parliamentary investigation that provides a control mechanism for the executive body members with criminal liabilities, the report highlighted that two-thirds majority of the total members of the General Assembly will be able send the president to the Supreme Court under the new system, providing parliamentary members the ability to send the president to the high court with fewer votes than the current system offering three-quarters majority.
The report also underlines that the new system has a chance to determine its frames to make it legally clear due to the reason that the crime of treason has a broad meaning in the current system. Additionally, legislative immunity and the time limit for the president's investigation will also likely be enforced to prevent the state from the functionless political process.
The report titled, "Supervisory Power of the Parliament in the Presidential System" was prepared by Prof. Haluk Alkan and suggests thinking of a supervisory power separately for both the presidency system and parliamentary system. According to Alkan, the abolishment of a two-headed system where the people determine the executive and legislative bodies in a separate election will help strengthen the supervisory power of the Parliament that is weak under the current system of governance.
The report states that verbal and written questions in the current parliamentary system, which are control mechanisms working in case the government members want it, have no serious effects on the government because it has no sanction. Therefore, if verbal and written questions are removed under the new system, it does not mean a serious loss in terms of supervisory power. However, according to Alkan, parliamentary inquiry transforms into a good vision under the presidency system because, unlike the parliamentary system, committees on inquiries and subsequent reports will likely to be open for the public to monitor, helping put pressure on the executive body that carts out the policies more easily due to the restrictions on representatives from within the executive body on the committees. Therefore, as Alkan indicates in the report, changes in the parliamentary inquiry move parliament beyond its current function, allowing parliament to obtain information on a significant issue.
Regarding the parliamentary investigation that provides a control mechanism for the executive body members with criminal liabilities, the report highlighted that two-thirds majority of the total members of the General Assembly will be able send the president to the Supreme Court under the new system, providing parliamentary members the ability to send the president to the high court with fewer votes than the current system offering three-quarters majority.
The report also underlines that the new system has a chance to determine its frames to make it legally clear due to the reason that the crime of treason has a broad meaning in the current system. Additionally, legislative immunity and the time limit for the president's investigation will also likely be enforced to prevent the state from the functionless political process.
Last Update: February 15, 2017 22:58