Concerns as Erdogan embarks on power play

Turkey’s president convened a cabinet meeting for the first time, a political manoeuvre that is raising concerns among critics that he is pushing ahead to expand the powers of the largely ceremonial presidency.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for the past decade as prime minister and was elected president in August, has set his sights on turning the parliamentary system into a presidential system, giving the head of state more executive powers.

He has been pushing for a constitutional change to usher in a presidential system — a difficult task that would depend on whether the ruling party can win sufficient number of seats in elections in June for the constitutional shift.

In the meantime, Mr Erdogan insists that as the first president to be elected by the people and not by parliament, he has a mandate to exercise more powers.

Yesterday he invoked a rarely used presidential power to call and preside over a cabinet meeting, usually chaired by the prime minister.

Opposition parties say the president can call a cabinet meeting in exceptional conditions only and accuse Mr Erdogan of overstepping his powers and seeking greater involvement in the running of the government.