More than 250 nongovernmental organizations met in Ankara on Thursday as part of the Turkish Constitution Platform to launch efforts to establish a new constitution.The platform previously declared that it was established to compile dominant public demands and form them into one decisive voice for a new constitution. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the meeting held at the ATO Congresium where he asserted that the current constitution and parliamentary system are no longer functional."The existing system is an abnormality. It is incredibly difficult for a system to perform its necessary functions with a prime minister and president both elected by the people," Erdoğan said.Claiming that Turkey is in need of a presidential system, he added that it would be wrong to view it as a matter of his personal interests."The head of state, elected by the people, must have more than a symbolic role," he said."Ok, we are now, as president and prime minister, working in harmony as two people who have come from the same political background and worked together for many years, but I have also [as prime minister] worked with a president who was not from the same political background. I know what sort of problems that causes," he said.He has also referenced former politicians who have expressed favorable opinions of a presidential system. He said that former prime ministers Turgut Özal and Necmettin Erbakan, and former Deputy Prime Minister Alparslan Türkeş have all said that the parliamentary system needs to be changed.Adem Sözüer, the dean of the Law Faculty at Istanbul University, said that the post-June 7 elections period shows that coalition governments, which might be seen as parliamentarian systems, do not function well in Turkey."On the other hand, it is people who elect the president in Turkey and it has great significance. In the event the prime minister and president come from different political parties, a two-headed system will become sharper and conflicts between these two opposing camps will create serious risks and crises. It is common knowledge what kind of problems have resulted in executive power when the president is not elected by the people," he said.Sözüer also indicated that problems regarding the work of the president and prime minister should not be postponed anymore, saying: "For this reason, everyone must think about the constitutional regulations that consolidate the legislation, guaranteeing the basic rights and freedoms that provide political stability. There is speculation that this is an issue of presidential or governmental personal interest. However, along with the opposition, all political, societal and academic sections must contribute to the process of establishing constitutional regulations regarding freedoms, the formation of government and political stability."Stressing that the people should be well-informed of a new constitution and presidential system by the media as well as increasing dialogue at universities, Erdoğan said: "My offer [of a presidential system] is up to the people to decide. Parliament also needs to make a decision regarding this point, but right after Parliament makes its decision, we must ask the people. The people, not Parliament, should ultimately decide." He said: "We do not want a majoritarian constitution, but rather a pluralist constitution," noting that the current procedure for preparing a new constitution should be changed since it failed in 2011.Speaking to Daily Sabah, Haluk Alkan, a professor in the Political Science and International Relations Department of Istanbul University, said that nongovernmental organizations play a crucial role in enlightening the public about a new constitution and presidential system. "If a new constitution will be prepared and a change in system is considered in Turkey, it is necessary to fully grasp public opinion and the various actors that shape it, taking on a pluralist role in this process," he said.Alkan pointed to the issues Erdoğan spoke of, calling them crucial in considering pluralism and the discussion of the issue in all parts of society, saying: "There is a very important message here. There are critics that say he wants this system to align with his personal interests. However, his speech demonstrated where he stands on this issue. My expectation is for there to be concrete results from this process."