Turkey considers Abdullah Gul’s presidential term

In a move to end discussions over the length of President Abdullah Gul’s mandate, the ruling party proposed legal action to fix the current president’s term in office at seven years.

“The president has been elected for a seven-year term according to laws at that time. His mandate can neither be shortened nor extended. In order to put everything back on the right track, a provisional article defining Gul’s term at seven years could be inserted to the relevant law,” Mustafa Elitas, Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy chairman told reporters yesterday.

Gul’s mandate has been a matter of discussion after a constitutional amendment reduced presidential term of office to five years with a right to be re-elected through popular vote. Elitaş has become the first official to voice the need of a legal move to end discussions on Gül’s term.

Deputy Prime Ministers Bulent Arınc and Bekir Bozdag said Gul was elected for a seven-year term. Many have speculated the government left Gul’s mandate bleak on purpose so Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan could run for the post.  If Parliament endorses such a move, Gul will remain in his position until Aug. 28, 2014.


/Hurriyet Daily News/