The system today
The Executive
| Table #1 | Today's system | Pre-2017 system | Davutoğlu proposal | Istanpol proposal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey's head of state | President | President | President | President |
| Turkey's head of government | President | Prime Minister | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| Major decisions signed by | President alone | Cabinet collectively | Cabinet collectively | Cabinet collectively |
| President's duties: ceremonial or executive? ℹ"Ceremonial" Turkish presidencies have always some hard powers, including: appointing and dismissing prime ministers, calling occasional cabinet meetings and a one-time veto on laws passed by parliament | Sweeping executive powers Appointing ministers; passing laws by decree | Mostly ceremonial | Mostly ceremonial with power to veto laws once, but fewer direct appointments | Mostly ceremonial with power to veto laws once, but fewer direct appointments |
The Legislature
| Table #2 Can MPs... | The system today | The system before 2017 | Davutoğlu's proposal | IstanPol's proposal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question ministers in person? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Question ministers in writing? | Yes No time limit for a reply. | Yes No time limit for a reply. | Yes Time limits for a reply. | Yes Time limits for a reply. |
| Vote to censure ministers? ℹ"Gensoru" in Turkish | No | Yes | Yes | — |
| Declare 'no confidence' in the government? | No MPs can only unseat the president by calling early elections | Yes A government falls if a majority of MPs vote against it | 'Constructive no confidence' only A government falls if a majority of MPs vote against it AND vote to support a replacement | 'Constructive no confidence' only A government falls if a majority of MPs vote against it AND vote to support a replacement |
| Scrutinise laws by decree (KHKs)? | Very few checks on KHKs | Only certain types of KHK allowed | — | Few KHKs allowed. None can restrict rights and freedoms. |
Elections
| Table #3 Elections | The system today | The system before 2017 | Davutoğlu's proposal | IstanPol's proposal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parliamentary election threshold ℹThe national share of the vote a party must receive before it can win seats in parliament | 10% | 10% | 0% | 5% |
| How is president chosen? | By public once every five years. Two-term limit, with possibility for a third | By the public once every five years. Strict two-term limit. | Elected by MPs for a single, seven-year term | Elected by MPs for one term that is longer than a parliamentary term |
| Can the president be a member of a political party? | Yes | No | No | No |
| Alliances in parliamentary elections allowed? | Yes | No | — | Yes |
| Right to appeal Election Commission (YSK) decisions to another court? | No | No | — | Yes |