Writing in Milliyet, economist and columnist Yaman Toruner argued in February 2007 that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was prolonging unnecessary uncertainty by consulting deputies, business figures, religious community members, and personal associates about a potential presidential run.
Toruner suggested those advisers would each respond according to their own interests, with legislators and businesspeople likely urging him to remain premier while closer allies would encourage a presidential bid. Ultimately, Toruner wrote, the choice would rest with Erdogan and his family alone.
The columnist warned that the prolonged indecision was already damaging the economy and unsettling foreign investors, with costs mounting the longer a clear answer was withheld from roughly 70 million citizens.
Toruner argued that the premiership carries greater real authority in Türkiye, and that serving a single presidential term could effectively end Erdogan's political career. He suggested an opposition leader would actually prefer Erdogan to stay on as prime minister and face them as an electoral rival.
The columnist called on Erdogan to stop creating tension with last-minute announcements and to state his intentions plainly, warning that throwing the country into political crisis would harm both the ruling party and opposition alike.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in February 2007, in its own words.