What type of government leads Turkey?
Turkey has been a presidential republic since 2018. The president holds both the positions of head of state and head of government, exercising extensive executive powers without a prime minister.
The Turkish presidential system
Since the constitutional reform of 2017 which came into effect in 2018, Turkey abandoned the parliamentary system to adopt a presidential republic. This major change concentrates powers in the hands of the President of the Republic.
The powers of the president
- Head of State and Government : combination of the two main functions
- Extended executive powers : appointment of ministers, signing of decree-laws
- Legislative influence : can dissolve the National Assembly under certain conditions
- Judicial appointment : designates part of the members of the Supreme Council of Judges
Key points
This transition to a strong presidential system abolished the position of Prime Minister. The Turkish president now has prerogatives comparable to those of the American president, with fewer parliamentary checks and balances.