DIRECT ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT BY THE PEOPLE: THE CASE OF TURKEY

Authors : Hasan YILMAZ

Pages : 19-35

Doi:10.33404/anasay.911100

View : 32 | Download : 8

Publication Date : 2021-05-29

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The government of law is defined as the government bound by the rules of law and provides all kinds of legal guarantees to its citizens. The democratic government of law, on the other hand, is obliged to protect the rights of citizens, especially fundamental rights and freedoms. The most important trait of democracy is that the people transfer their sovereignty to a structure, institution or power through democratic principles. The focus of the conception of democracy in this context should be to provide, protect and develop fundamental rights and freedoms. In the regimes in which democracy is practiced, the each government branch insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(power); is been entrusted with specific duty. The members of the parliament are elected by the people through democratic methods and gathered under the roof of the parliament. The legislative power regulates the rules of social life in the context of the concepts of sovereignty and democracy. Executive members are responsible for implementing the rules and regulations of the legislative body. The president represents the state and assumes the role of government. The judiciary has undertaken the duty of enforcing the laws in accordance with the codes. In democracies based on the principle of separation of powers, the limits and responsibilities of each power mentioned in the Constitution and laws have been determined together with the executive, judicial and legislative functions. According to article 8 of the Constitution, the executive power and duty shall be exercised by the President in accordance with the Constitution and the laws. Twelfth Presidential elections in Turkey in 2014 were of historical importance. Following the 367 crisis in the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 2007, the referendum for the amendment regulating the direct election of the president by the people was approved. Thus, for the first time in Turkish democracy people, not the members of the parliament went to the ballot boxes and voted for the 12th president of Turkey. In this study, the events that took place in the Turkish Grand National Assembly during the 11th Presidential elections in 2007 and the developments that followed these events were discussed. In this process, it is important to evaluate the Presidential elections with specific reference to the principles of democracy.
Keywords : President, Democracy, Legislature, Executive

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