Erdogan says Hitler's Germany exemplifies effective presidential system
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ISTANBUL: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who is pushing for executive powers, cites Hitler's Germany as an example of an effective presidential system, in comments broadcast by Turkish media on Friday.
Erdogan wants to change the Turkish constitution to turn the ceremonial role of president into that of a chief executive, a Turkish version of the system in the United States, France or Russia.
Asked on his return from a visit to Saudi Arabia late on Thursday whether an executive presidential system was possible while maintaining the unitary structure of the state, he said: “There are already examples in the world. You can see it when you look at Hitler's Germany.
“There are later examples in various other countries,” he told reporters, according to a recording broadcast by the Dogan news agency.
Also read: Turkish PM slams Israel for 'Hitler-like fascism'
The ruling AK Party, founded by Erdogan, has put a new constitution at the heart of its agenda after winning back a majority in a November parliamentary election.
It agreed with the main opposition CHP on Wednesday to revive efforts to forge a new constitution.
Opposition parties agree on the need to change the constitution, drawn up after a 1980 coup and still bearing the stamp of its military authors, but do not back the presidential system envisaged by Erdogan, fearing it will consolidate too much power in the hands of an authoritarian leader.
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Comments (36) Closed
Jan 01, 2016 06:55pm
Presidential system is surely more efficient. Cabinet is selected from technocrats and experts, instead of politicians. His choice of words is not right
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Jan 01, 2016 07:03pm
May God prevent the conversation of Turkey into Hitler's Germany. I assume, Mr. Erdogan has not read the complete history about Hitler's Germany. Otherwise he had not quoted this example as worth following.
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Jan 01, 2016 07:10pm
@Yasir
but efficiency comes at a cost. technocrats prefer solid numbers while largely ignoring the socialist aspects of statecraft. massive privatisation, cut throat competition, widening wage disparity, MNCs, lack of domestic output are some of the hallmarks of technocratic policies.
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Jan 01, 2016 07:12pm
Like America the cabinet should be full of technocrats and the legislator should be there for checks and balanced with a limit of two terms.
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Jan 01, 2016 07:51pm
We need this system in Pakistsn to get rid of corrupt powers and status MNA MPA enjoy. We need to get rid of MNA MPA....in our system you have to select ministers from pool of incompetent MNAs. Previous railway and current electricity water and power ministers are examples of it.
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Jan 01, 2016 08:14pm
Pakistan need presidential system as well. Current parliamentary system is not producing results, governments are easily blackmailed by coalition partners. Not too many competent people reach parliament to form effective cabinet. Incompetent people like Khawajas run big organizations like wapda and railway and fail miserably.
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Jan 01, 2016 08:36pm
@shoaib You seriously need to read up on socialism/communism/capitalism. Wealth increases across the board are a result of increases in productivity. What you're suggesting would have minimal competition, public ownership, minimal wage disparity. All these are a hallmark of socialism/communism where gov't controls everything. Ever wonder why USSR failed. Ever wondered why E vs W Germany & N vs S Korea had such disparity in wealth and progress? Same people, one with gov't control and other with freer markets. Nothing else was different. Cuba/Venezuela are other examples of socialism where things have gotten from bad to worse.
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Jan 01, 2016 08:45pm
I don't support Turkey because they supported and Created ISIS.
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Jan 01, 2016 08:54pm
Muslim countries always function better under a strong executive leader
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Jan 01, 2016 09:11pm
@irfan , True. Saudi & Turkey.
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Jan 01, 2016 09:18pm
There is an epidemic of madness overtaking the community.First Erdogan shoots down a Russian plane and now he says this!
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Jan 01, 2016 09:27pm
Come on, Hitler's was a more benign doctrine compared to Erdogans.
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Jan 01, 2016 09:29pm
Quoting Adolf Hitler in a positive light is only and only a negative thing. I am a fan of Erdogan but he should also remember where Adolf Hitler took his nation and the world. I doubt Erdogan or any other Turk want Tukey to become the Germany of 1945.
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Jan 01, 2016 09:51pm
@Khwarezmi , Constantly hunting the Kurds, playing mischief in Syria, supporting ISIS and finally shooting down the Russian jet, all shows the negative nature of Tayyip Erdogan
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Jan 01, 2016 10:08pm
Those in power want to become Emperors/Presidents. Please keep sane heads and not give anyone so much power that one mistake by them take us down a path of destruction.
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Jan 01, 2016 10:12pm
I am no Turk and therefore have no right to tell them what kind of government fits them best.
However, the reference to Hitler's Germany as the model government will not go down well for Erdogan and his Turkey. In fact it was the worst choice of words coming from the leader of one of the great historical powers.
Erdogan has done himself and his great nation a disservice by his poor choice of words. The more I see of Erdogan, the less i have started liking him.
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Jan 01, 2016 10:47pm
Erdogan is a very dangerous politician. Not only he is a power hungry person but he is also a fundamentalist right wing Islamic supporter. Sooner Turkey gets rid of him better for Turkey. Under him, Turkey will become a fundamentalist Islamic country like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Secular nature of Turkey will be gone and it will become a base for Islamic terrorism.
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Jan 01, 2016 10:52pm
There is something wrong with him, otherwise no sane person would like to follow the example of Hitler's Germany.
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Jan 01, 2016 10:53pm
Yes, Germanys presidential system under Hitler was very "effective" in sending millions to gas chambers. Erdogan will be the reason for the downfall of turkey.
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Jan 01, 2016 11:20pm
@Weirdity
Erdogan is doing to Turkey what Zia ul Haw did to Pakistan. Same extremists that he is supporting will turn against Turkey, just like it happened in Pakistan.
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Jan 01, 2016 11:31pm
This Turkey's internal matter they should handle it according to their national
sentiments and demands..Mr.Erdogan is their President he knows better..
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Jan 01, 2016 11:57pm
First support, fund,train and arm ISIS with the blessing of the Saudis and other Arab states. Now look up to Adolf Hitler.Turkey is going backward.
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Jan 02, 2016 12:25am
He is grossly overestimating himself. Good governance can be provided no matter what and where there is no good governance, a president with full powers will quickly turn into a permanent authoritarian egomaniac president - a dictator. Many examples throughout the world of this. Worst example is Hitler. Distributed power while not perfect is the best bet by far for most nonwestern countries.
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Jan 02, 2016 12:32am
Erdogan wants to be the Turkish Hitler....good or bad you make your choice....
One thing is clear, Germany was in ruins when Hitler died.....
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Jan 02, 2016 12:43am
@UnshacklePak ..... Great comment !
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Jan 02, 2016 12:47am
Tayyip Erdogan has lost it. he wants to live in the dark ages. God help Turkey
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Jan 02, 2016 12:54am
@Chaya Kahn .... Many former German soldiers who fought the war in Western Europe said afterwards they had been tricked and deceived by Hitler. Not so many who fought in the Soviet Union said so because less than 15% of them ever returned to Germany.
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Jan 02, 2016 12:57am
@Sachin .... You are certainly right about that.
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Jan 02, 2016 01:33am
Any system is only as efficient as the sincerity of those at the helms.
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Jan 02, 2016 01:48am
Totally agree with Erdogan. Haters gonna hate! He is a great leader and Tyrks love him and so do most Muslims around the world.
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Jan 02, 2016 02:02am
@shoaib No necessarily. It all depends on the vision of the elected president. He will appoint competent people to implement his vision.
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Jan 02, 2016 02:47am
Erdogan spoke exactly what kind of mentality and intentions he has and what really he is doing. Erdogan is worst than Hitler. He is responsible for killing 2.5 million people in Syria alone and another 2 to 3 million in Iraq.
He is responsible for making several million people homeless who are begging for refugee status here and there and remaining millions who are left behind are facing hunger, extremes of poverty, lack of security, illiteracy and diseases due to lack of medical care. He ruined the future of Syrian and Iraqi children only for his power hungry desires and greed for wealth.
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Jan 02, 2016 05:30am
So apt that the authoritarian Erdogan should openly state that he favours Hitler's mode of governance! He is winding back the Turkish clock by the minute.
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Jan 02, 2016 02:50pm
He is doing very similar with turkey what zia did with Pakistan, but unlike Pakistan, Turkey may become more polarised but constitutionally will remain strongly secular. Even it's social fabric is more secular than traditional or islamic. Once Turkey get rid of this authotorian ruler, they have a far better chance of further development!
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Jan 03, 2016 03:52am
@Hasan Remember, Late Ayub Khan introduced such system but our politicians had rejected it.
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Jan 03, 2016 05:47am
Hitler intended conquer Russia, Ukraine, Poland and to enslave all the Slavic peoples to work the land. The Nazis invaded North Africa to secure oil supplies for their military. Had the Nazi won the Arabs would also have been enslaved. Arabs were happy the Nazis were exterminating Jews but the Arabs were also considered an inferior race by the Nazis.
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