ANKARA: Turkey’s president on Tuesday approved a new government formed by one of his most trusted allies, who immediately asserted the intention to institute constitutional reforms that would expand the powers of the presidency.

The new prime minister, Binali Yildirim, replaced Ahmet Davutoglu, who stepped down on Sunday. Davutoglu had a range of differences with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, including seemingly lukewarm support for a constitutional overhaul to give executive powers to the largely ceremonial presidency.

“We will immediately start work to achieve a new constitution, including a presidential system,” the 60-year-old Yildirim told lawmakers of his Justice and Development Party, in his first speech after taking office.

“Our priority is to render the constitution more in harmony with the de-facto situation regarding our president’s ties to the people,” said Yildirim, formerly minister of transport and communications.

Many fear the system that Erdogan seeks will concentrate too many powers in the hands of the Turkish strongman, who has adopted an increasingly authoritarian style of governing, has cracked down on media and government critics and is accused of meddling in the running of the government in breach of the constitution.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2016

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