Turkey - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

1)   Turkey is set to scrap the office of which political leader in a historic switch?

a. President
b. Vice President
c. PM
d. Deputy PM
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: PM

Explanation:
Turkey is set to scrap the office of the PM in a historic switch under a proposal backed by the government for a new presidential system

  • Forestry and water affairs minister Vessel Eroglu indicated there could be one and possibly two vice presidents under President Recept Tayyip Erdogan in the new format.
  • It will submit the referendum next year
  • There will not be a PM in the new system
  • Erdogan who was elected to the top post in 2014 after serving the PM for more than 10 years, is seeking a strong presidency similar to France or the US
  • His ruling Justice and Development Party AKP needs 330 votes in a 550 seat parliament to call referendum to legislate the changes
  • Eroglu predicted that the proposed package would be put to referendum next spring along with support of MPs from nationalist movement party
  • Opponents say this could drag Turkey into a one man rule
  • Before Erdogan became head of state, the Turkish prime minister was seen as the number one but current Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is very much his subordinate.


2)   Turkish parliament has approved how many articles in an amendment to the country's governance system on 18th Jan 2017?

a. 7
b. 6
c. 5
d. 4
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 7

Explanation:
Turkish parliament approved 7 of 18 constitutional amendments in the first round of voting to move Turkey to an executive-presidential system.

All 7 articles received more than 330 votes. That number is the required majority to take constitutional amendments to referendum.

The changes will bring an increase to the number of lawmakers represented in parliament to 600 from the current 550.

Elections will be renewed every five years instead of four.

Parliamentary elections will be held simultaneously with presidential elections.

The new system enables the elected president to keep links with his or her political party and will be permitted to run it.

The Turkish parliament has also approved the constitutional reform bill that includes strengthening the powers of the presidency.

Mr Erdogan, who could now retain presidency till 2029, says the reform will provide stability in the European Union candidate country. His opponents fear authoritarian rule.

Bill was approved with 339 votes, parliament said ; it needed 330 deputies in the 550-member assembly to support it in order to go to a public vote.

Mr Erdogan assumed the presidency - a largely ceremonial position - in 2014 after over a decade as prime minister.

Turkey has also been hit by a spate of deadly bombings and gun attacks by Islamic State and Kurdish militants over the past year and a half.

Turkey: Know More

  • Capital: Ankara
  • President: Recep Tayyip Erdogan
  • Currencies: Turkish lira sign, Turkish lira
  • Official language: Turkish