The Presidential System in Turkey: Can it be Considered a “Political Innovation”?

This study, after a brief review of four issue areas that can be considered the basis for state administration and politics in Turkey, will explain the conceptual framework regarding the notion of “political innovation”. In this study, the discussion will focus on the amendments to the Turkish Republic Constitution implemented as the result of referendum held in Turkey on April 16, 2017, examining the extent of the regulations stipulated in the following process and whether the regulations can be considered political innovations, questioning it in the framework of related issue areas. In the research literature, the notion of political innovation is examined under three main subjects, which are the innovation in the political processes, the innovation in process of policymaking and the innovation of the policies. Not every novelty can be considered a political innovation. The presidential system set forth by the constitutional amendment, has its positive and negative aspects emerging as the system’s implementation goes forth since the elections of June 24, 2018. These aspects will be examined to the extent permitted by this article’s boundaries. While evaluating these aspects, even though it may be considered inadequate for a liberal and consolidated democracy, the establishment of a democratic structure that allows for the representation of the majority, the developments in institutional simplification, elimination of unregulated status quo groups and direct authorizations are favorable developments. On the other hand, it is crucial that certain constructive measures towards establishment of the independence of law, the implementation of employment in the public sector based on competence, and the establishment of mechanisms to facilitate the representation of fragile groups are taken in order to enable the presidential system to respond to more variables with regard to political innovation