15 October 2016•Update: 17 October 2016
By Diyar Guldogan
ANKARA
Stability can become "permanent" if Turkey adopts a presidential system, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Saturday in Istanbul.
"Stability in Turkey needs to be maintained. Stability will continue. Turkey will continue to grow. How? With the presidency," Yildirim told a ceremony in Istanbul breaking ground for new buildings for the Istanbul International Finance Center, Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, and Capital Markets Board.
"We [ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party] say ‘presidency.’ We say, ‘A presidency [system] is needed for Turkey'," he added.
He said a presidential system is needed for lasting stability, continued development, growth, strong government, national unity, and brotherhood.
Yildirim called on other political parties to help draw up a new constitution.
"If you suggest another model besides the presidency, let's ask the people about both," Yildirim said, suggesting a referendum.
Constitutional change, in particular the call for a presidential system, has been on the political agenda since Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the former prime minister and AK Party leader, was elected Turkey's president in August 2014.
That election was the first time a Turkish president, whose role is currently defined as being largely symbolic, was directly chosen by popular vote.
Changing to a presidential system is opposed by Turkey’s three other parliamentary parties, and the AK Party lacks the super-majority in parliament needed to make the change without submitting it to a referendum.
Yildirim said political parties – the AK Party, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) – made a promise to the people.
"What did we say? We said in every election [campaign] that we will draw up a new constitution and make stability in Turkey permanent," Yildirim added.
