Turkey's Erdogan Violates Constitution, Says Opposition

Turkey's two main opposition parties have called Recep Tayyip Erdogan's continuing role as prime minister unconstitutional.



Erdogan was elected president on August 10 but will remain prime minister until August 27 – the day before his inauguration as president.



However, on Wednesday opposition politicians challenged this arrangement.



Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahceli said: "Since Erdogan became Turkey's 12th president, his deputyship is automatically over according to the constitution."



Bahceli claimed Erdogan should have been removed as prime minister once the official election results were released on August 15, confirming him as president.



Lawmaker and spokesman for the Republican People's Party, known as the CHP, Haluk Koc said Erdogan's continued presence as prime minister violated the constitution.



Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party will choose its new chairman, who will become the country's prime minister, during a congress to be chaired by Erdogan on August 27.



CHP lawmaker Atilla Kart lodged an application with the Supreme Court of Appeal to bar Erdogan from chairing the congress. The application was denied on the grounds that Erdogan can perform the political role until he is sworn in as president on August 28.



Kart will submit an individual appeal to the Constitutional Court, Turkey's highest court, on Thursday.  



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara