Pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to declare whether he intends to seek the presidency, yet he has so far declined to signal his intentions either way. Columnist Avni Özgürel of Radikal argues that Erdoğan's silence is strategically sound: a declaration either way would trigger damaging speculation inside his Justice and Development Party (AKP) and across the country.
The 1982 Constitution granted the presidency sweeping powers and near-total immunity from accountability, making the office highly attractive to politicians. Under that framework, presidents have chaired or shaped cabinet formations, and Article 105 limits charges against a sitting president to treason alone.
Özgürel notes that every major party that has held power since 1980, including the AKP itself at one point, called for reducing presidential authority and shortening the term, yet none acted on it once in office.
Historical precedent suggests a presidential run carries internal party risks. After Turgut Özal moved to the presidency in the late 1980s, his Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) suffered visible decline, and Süleyman Demirel's departure to the presidency created tensions within the True Path Party (DYP). Özgürel suggests the AKP would likely face comparable strains.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.