CHP leader vows to stop Erdo?an building presidential system

Turkey's main opposition leader has vowed to stop all President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's efforts to shift Turkey to a presidential system from the current parliamentary system, underlining the significance of the country's "two centuries of experience in the parliamentary system." 

In a speech days after meeting with ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader and Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu on Dec. 30 about the new constitution and the government's bid to change to a presidential system, Republican People's Party (CHP) head Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu said such a system would "break up the country." 

"One feature of the presidential system is to divide and break up a country. If you want to do that, introduce the presidential system. What flaw do we currently have? We have a 200-year-long experience in parliamentary system. You are throwing these 200 years into the garbage. If we have a flaw, then let's eliminate it, but you say 'No, I want the presidential system in any case,'" K?l?çdaro?lu said on Jan. 5, apparently quoting Erdo?an. 

The CHP head also mocked claims by Erdo?an and government officials that the most developed countries in the world are ruled by presidential systems.

"This country has turned into a ring of fire. Very young children are losing their lives and news of martyrs is coming every day," K?l?çdaro?lu said, referring to violence between the security forces and militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which reignited in the summer of 2015, shattering a fragile peace process and a two-and-a-half-year de facto period of non-conflict.

"We are also in a miserable situation abroad. But he just has a one-track mind: 'I will be the president anyway,'" K?l?çdaro?lu added, addressing a weekly...