Spotlight: Erdogan steps closer to become head of both state and ruling party

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Tuesday, the first concrete step he took after referendum win that granted him sweeping powers and probably begin working on a cabinet overhaul for changes in key posts.

The historic change enables the president to become head both the state and a political party in parliament, a first in republican history.

The crucial referendum where 51.4 percent of electors voted in favor of a transition from a parliamentary system to a presidential one, paved the pay for Erdogan to rejoin the AKP that he founded in 2001 and chaired until his election as three mandates of prime minister and head of state in 2014 by popular vote, a first in Turkey.

Turks voted also to hand executive powers to Erdogan. The constitutional changes revoked the requirement of impartiality for the head of state.

But Erdogan's influence was always there as he vowed to be "an active president" and acted as one, chairing cabinet meetings and campaigning for his party in parliamentary elections and the recent referendum.

After rejoin the AKP as a member, Erdogan will be reelected as the chairman through a symbolic election in an extraordinary congress on May 21.

"We will happily invite our president to our party and there's no barrier to him becoming chairman," said Binali Yildrim, the Prime Minister and current Chairman of AKP, who ironically will lose his post after the first legislative elections, planned for 2019, in line with the approved constitutional revision.

Xinhua has learned from various sources that the president seems keen on changing the helm of the economic policy, in rather troubled waters after several years of constant growth, making Turkey the Middle East's largest economy and one of the G20 group.

The state of emergency declared after last year's failed coup also worries investors who don't see room for much needed economic reforms.

Before leaving Istanbul on Sunday for a visit in India, his first foreign visit post referendum, which will mainly focus on enhancing the bilateral trade and anti-terrorism partnership between the two countries, Turkish president replied to insistent questions on the matter, but saying only that "the Prime Minister has a say on this issue, it's up to him to decide."

"For the moment, it is not on the agenda what you'll never know what the future will hold," he went on as saying not dismissing formally rumours of a change.

At the AKP front, prudence prevails on such a measure.

"It will not be a big surprise if there are changes in the government. The president has the right of taking decisions with the prime minister in order to make the system work better," a source close to the government said on condition of anonymity.

"The purpose of the constitutional referendum was to make Turkey a more stable country, so that is what its going to happen," added the source.

The rumors running in Ankara's political circles suggest some significant figures could be on their way of the cabinet, such as Ali Babacan, former Economy and Foreign Minister who is seen as foreign investors as a very credible name in global terms.

Also, mentioned in those secretive circles is the official spokesman of Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, a highly influential and loyal figure to the president, seen as the future Minister of Foreign Affairs replacing the actual Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"From time to time, injecting fresh blood in the cabinet is a necessity of democracy," said Yildirim, confirming a possible reshuffle.

Abdulkadir Selvi, journalist at mass circulating daily Hurriyet, wrote on Monday that the number of Kurdish ministers was in the works in order to try to give a fresh impetuous to a possible solution to the Kurdish conflict amid renewed fighting over the past two years between security forces and separatist rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"There will be a change in the cabinet. Six or seven ministers are expected to change," said Selvi, explaining also that the results of the referendum where major cities, such as Istanbul and Ankara voted "no" against Erdogan, has caused serious concern in AKP.

Another immediate outcome of the referendum will be the reforms to the official body, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), that controls judges and prosecutors, where Erdogan will appoint new members, a measure strongly criticized by the opposition as seen as a breach to the separation of powers.

Meanwhile, it is expected to be the abolition of military courts in the aftermath of the referendum, which consist of the military court of cassation, the high military administrative court and other military courts.

The parliament is then required to enact the constitutional changes and amend laws accordingly within six months. This period will consist of the legislative preparation for the entire constitutional change package denounced by the opposition as having granted excessive powers to a single man, thus President Erdogan.

"One amendment would even allow the president to order disciplinary inquiries into any of Turkey's 3.5 million civil servants, said Metin Feyzioglu, the head of the bar association.

"This means that the local branch of the AKP in a particular town would have de facto power over the public servants in that town," said Feyzioglu.

Unless an early election, which is quite possible, according to experts, Erdogan has to wait the next presidential election, which is currently set for November 2019, to see the office of prime minister abolished and some of the parliaments powers scrapped off in his favor.

And Erdogan does absolutely have to win this election to complete his victory. Endit