Turkey’s opposition vows to restore parliamentary democracy to the country

The leaders of 6 opposition parties in Turkey pledged on Monday to restore parliamentary democracy and abolish the executive presidential system imposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan three years ago.

At their meeting in Ankara, the party leaders signed a 48-page declaration confirming their intention to impose a “strong parliamentary system” if they were able to oust Erdogan in the elections scheduled for June 2023.

The opposition blamed Turkey’s hardships, including economic collapse and an erosion of rights and freedoms, on Erdogan’s regime, which it described as tantamount to “one-man rule”. The presidential system was narrowly passed in a referendum in 2017, followed by the 2018 elections.

The new system planned by the opposition parties charts the revival of the position of prime minister and the restoration of the symbolic powers of the president, including strengthening the legislative role, oversight of parliament, and independence of the judiciary. It also promises more transparency, freedoms and rights, including women’s rights.