Turkey: On the Road to a Presidential System

The Polish Institute of International Affairs is an analytical institution established by an act of Parliament in 1996 to carry out research and provide expertise in international affairs. PISM disseminates information on contemporary international issues and maintains contacts with academic and political centres in Poland and abroad. The Institute runs courses for public servants, maintains a library (open to the public; 165,000 books and journals), organises conferences, and publishes books, periodicals and documents on Polish foreign policy and international matters.

The funding for PISM comes from the budget. The director is appointed by the prime minister for a term of five years, following consultation with the minister of foreign affairs. The minister supervises the Institute and appoints its advisory council, which includes a representative of the President of the Republic of Poland, academics and officials.The Turkish parliament adopted a constitutional reform package that introduced a presidential system. The amendments not only impaired parliament’s role but also weakened the judiciary’s independence. To enter into force, the reform package must be approved by referendum, set for 16 April 2017. The referendum campaign would intensify tensions in Turkey and the changes could lead to a deterioration of Turkey-EU relations.