What type of government does Turkey have?
Turkey operates as a unitary state under a presidential representative democracy and a constitutional republic within a pluriform multi-party system. This intricate system involves a complex interplay between different branches of government each with its own distinct powers and responsibilities.
Let’s delve deeper into the intricacies of Turkey’s government:
The Constitution: The Bedrock of Governance
The Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye serves as the foundation of the Turkish government. It establishes the organization of the government, outlines the principles and rules of the state’s conduct, and defines the responsibilities the state holds towards its citizens. Additionally, the document establishes the rights and responsibilities of the people while setting guidelines for the delegation and exercise of sovereignty that belongs to the people of Turkey.
Branches of Government: A Separation of Powers
The Turkish government comprises three distinct branches:
1. Legislative Branch:
- Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi): This single-chamber parliament holds the legislative power, responsible for enacting, amending, and repealing laws. Its 600 members are elected through a D’Hondt method for a five-year term.
2. Executive Branch:
- President of Turkey: The president serves as both the head of state and government, as well as the military commander-in-chief. The president ensures the implementation of the Constitution and oversees the harmonious functioning of state organs.
- Cabinet: The president delegates power to the cabinet, which includes ministers responsible for specific areas of national and international affairs.
3. Judicial Branch:
- Supreme Court: This court ensures the constitutionality of laws and other government actions.
- Constitutional Court: This court checks whether laws comply with the constitution and can annul laws deemed unconstitutional.
- Other Courts: Specialized courts handle specific legal areas, including civil, commercial, consumer, and labor matters.
Elections and Voting System: The Voice of the People
Turkish citizens over 18 years of age have the right to vote in elections and referendums. The country has been a multi-party democracy since 1950, with elections held for:
- President: A two-round system ensures the elected president has the support of a majority of the people.
- Parliament: The D’Hondt method ensures proportional representation of different political parties in the parliament.
- Local Elections: Mayors and council members are elected through a first-past-the-post system.
Local Administration: Decentralized Governance
Turkey’s local administration comprises municipalities, special provincial administrations, and villages. The Constitution ensures the devolution of powers and the regulatory and budgetary autonomy of local governments.
Finances: Managing the Nation’s Resources
The Turkish government’s finances are primarily managed through the central government budget, which determines the expenditure of the state and public corporations. The budget document is proposed by the president and approved by the parliament.
The Turkish government is a complex and dynamic system that has evolved over time. Understanding its structure and functions is crucial for comprehending the political and social landscape of Turkey. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the key elements of the Turkish government, offering valuable insights into its workings and its impact on the lives of its citizens.
PR Political Rights
| Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? | 2.002 4.004 |
The president is chosen directly for a maximum of two five-year terms. However, if the parliament declares early elections during the president’s first two terms, the president may run for a third term. The top two candidates compete in a second round of voting if no one receives an absolute majority of the vote. Since taking the helm of the government in 2014 as prime minister, President Erdoğan has continued to play a prominent role. A 2017 referendum on the constitution established a new presidential form of government that increased presidential authority and did away with the prime minister’s position.
Erdoğan insisted that an early election was required to implement the new presidential system, leading to the early June 2018 presidential election that was initially planned for November 2019. Turkey was still under a state of emergency following the failed coup attempt in 2016, at the time of the election.
Erdoğan, who leads the AKP, won a second term, earning 52. 6 percent of the vote in the first round. Muharrem İnce of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) won 30. 6 percent. Selahattin Demirtaş of the HDP won 8. 4 percent, while Meral Aksenser of the nationalist İyi (Good) Party won 7. 3 percent; other candidates won the remaining 1. 1 percent. Erdoğan is eligible for a third term, and if reelected, he could serve until 2028 because his first term ended earlier than expected.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) criticized the 2018 poll, claiming that state-run media favored the ruling AKP in its coverage and that electoral regulators frequently gave in to the party. The OSCE also noted that Erdoğan repeatedly accused his opponents of supporting terrorism during the campaign. İnce, the CHP candidate, also criticized the vote, calling it fundamentally unfair. Demirtaş campaigned from prison, having been charged with terrorism offenses in 2016.
| Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? | 2.002 4.004 |
With the passage of the 2017 constitutional referendum, the Grand National Assembly, a unicameral legislature, gained 600 seats and members’ terms were extended from four to five years. These modifications became operative with the June 2018 elections. Politicians seeking to retain seats in the parliament must secure at least 10% of the national vote. Members are chosen by proportional representation.
The OSCE claims that a number of irregularities plagued the 2018 legislative elections, such as the ruling party’s misappropriation of public funds to secure an electoral edge and a campaign of intimidation against the Democratic Party of Pakistan (HDP) and other opposition parties. Reports of irregularities such as proxy voting were more prevalent in the south and southeast.
The far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the AKP formed the People’s Alliance in February 2018, which garnered 344 seats with 53% of the vote, while the CHP garnered 146 seats with 22%. With 11% of the vote and 67 seats, the HDP emerged victorious, while the İyi Party secured its first ever parliamentary berth with 10% of the vote and 43 seats.
Two HDP members and one CHP lawmaker were removed from the parliament and placed under arrest in June 2020 on allegations of terrorism and espionage.
| Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? | 1.001 4.004 |
The judges of the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) oversee voting procedures. A 2016 law allowed AKP-dominated judicial bodies to replace most YSK judges. Since then, the YSK has progressively deferred to the AKP in its rulings. This was seen most recently in May 2019, when it ordered a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral election, which CHP candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu had narrowly won in March. However, the YSK rejected the result based on a number of technicalities, claiming that some ballot officials were not civil servants as required by law and that some polling documentation was missing signed. Even though the results of the first election were void, İmamoğlu prevailed in the second vote that June, widening his lead over the AKP candidate.
C Functioning of Government
| Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? | 2.002 4.004 |
The new presidential system instituted in 2018 vastly expanded the executive’s already substantial authority. President Erdoğan now has complete control over all executive functions due to the removal of the prime minister’s position. Among his other powers, he can rule by decree, appoint judges and other officials who are responsible for oversight, and order investigations into any civil servant. All significant policy decisions are made by Erdoğan and his inner circle, and the parliament’s ability to act as a check on his authority is actually severely constrained.
After two years in force, the 2016 state of emergency was formally lifted in July 2018. This gave the president the power to suspend civil liberties and issue decrees without the Constitutional Court’s oversight. However, the change has done little to curb the continued consolidation and abuse of executive power.
| Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? | 1.001 4.004 |
Even at the highest levels of government, corruption—which includes bribery, money laundering, and collusion in the awarding of government contracts—remains a serious issue. A culture of impunity is fostered by the uneven application of anticorruption laws and the general inefficiency of Turkey’s anticorruption agencies. Due to the widespread expropriation of targeted businesses and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the crackdown implemented following the 2016 coup attempt has significantly increased opportunities for corruption. The government appoints trustees to oversee billions of dollars’ worth of seized assets, strengthening the close relationships between the government and beneficial companies.
Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a prominent figure at Turkey’s state-owned financial institution Halkbank, was sentenced to 32 months in prison in May 2018 after a US court found him guilty of aiding the Iranian authorities in evading sanctions in January. Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian businessman, testified during the trial that senior Turkish officials had accepted bribes as part of the scheme, and that some of the bribes were personally approved by Erdoğan while he was prime minister. Although Erdoğan has urged the US government to halt its investigations, US prosecutors in October 2019 indicted Halkbank, and the case was still pending in 2020.
| Does the government operate with openness and transparency? | 0.000 4.004 |
Since the 2016 coup attempt, the government’s crackdown has created a political and legal environment that has made normal democratic oversight efforts nearly impossible. Despite having an official access to information law, Turkey’s government lacks transparency and willfully withholds information about the actions of public officials and institutions. If independent journalists or civil society organizations act as external monitors and try to uncover wrongdoing by the government, they risk being arrested and prosecuted.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were allegations that officials attempted to falsify official health data, and physicians who disseminated their own findings or expressed disapproval of the government’s response were subject to police interrogations and criminal investigations.
Turkey’s new presidential system explained
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