Turkey adopts new model for presidential elections
Turkey has turned to a new model for the first presidential election in which the people will vote directly for the new head of state. The government has started to prepare legal groundwork for the elections through presidential candidates will finance their election campaigns and will not receive money from the Treasury.
The solution was found in the system the US has been using for years.
According to this practice, candidates will pay for expenses with citizen donations. Every presidential candidate will have an “election account.” Citizens will be able to donate money to the bank account for which they will receive a receipt. Candidates will not be able to accept help from foreign states, international organizations, legal entities or people that are not of Turkish nationality.
The “Presidential Law” bill, which is made up of 26 items, is expected to be referred to Parliament soon. As the draft bill envisages, a presidential candidate must be at least 40 years old and must have completed higher education. The president will serve for five years and can be elected for a second term.
The details of the draft, which a Turkish daily Today’s Zaman has published, include the following articles:
Citizens to go to polls: The president will be elected by popular vote. The elections will be held by equal and secret ballot on the same day across the country under the direction and supervision of the judiciary.
Two five-year terms: Presidential elections will be held every five years. An eligible candidate can be elected president a maximum of two times.
Candidate must win at least 51 percent in the first round: The candidate that receives the absolute majority of valid votes will be elected president. If a majority is not achieved in the first round, a second vote will be held on the second Sunday following the first poll. The two candidates who won the most votes in the first round will participate in the second round. The candidate who wins the absolute majority of valid votes will be elected president.
Candidate replacement due to death: In the event of the death of one of the two candidates eligible to participate in the second round, the spot will be substituted by the candidate that received the next highest votes in the first round. Substitutions will not be made for any other reason.
Parliamentary speaker to be acting president: The incumbent president will continue to serve as president until the new president takes office.
Election to be postponed a year during war: If Parliament decides that holding elections will not be possible due to war, the presidential election will be postponed for one year.
Age limit: Any Turkish citizen who is at least 40 years of age and has completed higher education can be elected president.
Twenty deputies can nominate one candidate: A person from within Parliament or outside can be nominated as a presidential candidate with a written proposal by at least 20 deputies. Each deputy can suggest only one candidate.
Parties that win more than 10 percent can nominate a common candidate: Political parties that won more than 10 percent of the total votes in the last parliamentary election can nominate a common candidate.
Nominee must provide written consent: A person must provide written consent in order to be nominated a candidate.
Foreigners cannot help: Candidates cannot use any support from foreign states, international organizations, legal entities or people who are not of Turkish nationality.
Banks to have “election account”: All profits and expenses from the day the candidate list is confirmed to the end of the election results will be documented to ensure transparency. Receipts will be provided for every donation. Donations will be deposited into bank accounts called “election accounts” that candidates will open in their name.
