This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/02/world/europe/turkeys-erdogan-seeking-a-more-powerful-presidency-cites-hitlers-system.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Turkey’s Erdogan, Seeking a More Powerful Presidency, Cites Hitler’s System | Turkey’s Erdogan, Seeking a More Powerful Presidency, Cites Hitler’s System |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ISTANBUL — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who is pushing to imbue the largely ceremonial presidency with sweeping executive powers akin to the United States or France, gave a new example of an effective presidential system late Thursday: Hitler’s Germany. | |
| After returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Erdogan was asked by the Turkish news media whether a presidential system was possible given that the government is now organized under a prime minister. | After returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Erdogan was asked by the Turkish news media whether a presidential system was possible given that the government is now organized under a prime minister. |
| “There are already examples in the world,” Mr. Erdogan said. “You can see it when you look at Hitler’s Germany.” | “There are already examples in the world,” Mr. Erdogan said. “You can see it when you look at Hitler’s Germany.” |
| Hitler, who became chancellor of Germany in 1933, assumed the presidency in 1934, a move that allowed him to consolidate power to become the Führer. | |
| While Mr. Erdogan did not elaborate, his comment is bound to raise concern among critics who view him as increasingly authoritarian. | |
| Mr. Erdogan became Turkey’s first popularly elected president in August 2014, having dominated Turkish politics for more than a decade as prime minister. Since assuming the new post, he has aggressively campaigned to rewrite the Turkish Constitution and establish an executive system of government. | Mr. Erdogan became Turkey’s first popularly elected president in August 2014, having dominated Turkish politics for more than a decade as prime minister. Since assuming the new post, he has aggressively campaigned to rewrite the Turkish Constitution and establish an executive system of government. |
| His consolidation of power has had a potent effect on Turkish society. Critics say Mr. Erdogan’s divisive rhetoric, in which he has denigrated opponents as terrorists or traitors, has helped polarize the country. | His consolidation of power has had a potent effect on Turkish society. Critics say Mr. Erdogan’s divisive rhetoric, in which he has denigrated opponents as terrorists or traitors, has helped polarize the country. |
| A government crackdown on dissent — including a growing campaign of intimidation against the opposition news media, with a mob of his supporters attacking newspaper offices ahead of the November election — has raised concerns domestically and abroad about Turkey’s commitment to democracy. | A government crackdown on dissent — including a growing campaign of intimidation against the opposition news media, with a mob of his supporters attacking newspaper offices ahead of the November election — has raised concerns domestically and abroad about Turkey’s commitment to democracy. |
| To change the Constitution, Mr. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, which regained its parliamentary majority in November, needs support from opposition parties, who fear that such a system would consolidate too much power in Mr. Erdogan’s hands. | To change the Constitution, Mr. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, which regained its parliamentary majority in November, needs support from opposition parties, who fear that such a system would consolidate too much power in Mr. Erdogan’s hands. |
| Last week, Turkey’s main opposition party said it would back some changes to an outdated Constitution, which was drawn up by the military after a 1980 coup, but it does not support an all-powerful presidential system envisioned by Mr. Erdogan. | Last week, Turkey’s main opposition party said it would back some changes to an outdated Constitution, which was drawn up by the military after a 1980 coup, but it does not support an all-powerful presidential system envisioned by Mr. Erdogan. |
| Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told the leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, that a presidential system would not lead to a dictatorship. | Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told the leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, that a presidential system would not lead to a dictatorship. |
| “What is right for Turkey is to adopt the presidential system in line with the democratic spirit,” he said in a television interview this week. “This system will not evolve into dictatorship, but if we do not have this spirit, even the parliamentary system can turn into this dictatorship.” | “What is right for Turkey is to adopt the presidential system in line with the democratic spirit,” he said in a television interview this week. “This system will not evolve into dictatorship, but if we do not have this spirit, even the parliamentary system can turn into this dictatorship.” |
| On Thursday, there was little reaction to Mr. Erdogan’s comments, which were made late in the day. Part of that may be attributed to nervousness about insulting the president, which could bring a jail term, and part to the quiet of the New Year’s holiday. | On Thursday, there was little reaction to Mr. Erdogan’s comments, which were made late in the day. Part of that may be attributed to nervousness about insulting the president, which could bring a jail term, and part to the quiet of the New Year’s holiday. |
| Still, some people reacted on social media. | Still, some people reacted on social media. |
| “Let’s do a close comparison between Hitler and Erdogan,” one person wrote on Twitter. “The only difference is that Hitler was a bit shorter.” | “Let’s do a close comparison between Hitler and Erdogan,” one person wrote on Twitter. “The only difference is that Hitler was a bit shorter.” |
| People also shared a Photoshopped picture of Hitler with Mr. Erdogan’s face superimposed on it. | People also shared a Photoshopped picture of Hitler with Mr. Erdogan’s face superimposed on it. |