Erdo?an-Davuto?lu rift seems only a matter of time

There is a lot of talk about a rift between President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu. Davuto?lu denies this but the general feeling is that there can be no smoke without fire.

Speculation was fueled even more recently when Nasuhi Güngör, a columnist close to Erdo?an, said on live television that it was time for Ahmet Davuto?lu to go because he was blocking Turkey's transition to a presidential system and thus preventing the country from moving on.

Supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) were quick to explain that Güngör was expressing his own opinion. But the haste with which they felt the need to say this, combined with the fact that Güngör lost his column in the pro-government daily Sabah after he uttered his remark, showed that behind the scenes not all is peaceful.

Güngör claimed, during a debate on a channel that is close to the government, that there is a political vacuum in Turkey today because the Davuto?lu government is preventing a serious discussion on a transition to the presidential system. This, he argued, has resulted in two centers of power in Turkey, namely the president and the prime minister.

"Davuto?lu provided very important services as foreign minister ? But Turkey has to break this duality in its administrative structure," he said. "Let me speak openly, the situation has become unsustainable under Mr. Ahmet Davuto?lu. The AKP has to find a new path for itself," Güngör added.

It is hard to believe that Güngör is the only one thinking along these lines among Erdo?an supporters. There is tangible impatience among these supporters with the lack of a full commitment on Davuto?lu's part to carrying out Erdo?an's requests. 

Erdo?an has also reflected...