[The current lack of accountability] is what we want to change. We want to change a system [to the one] where the president will be accountable. He will be head of the government, than there will be a parliament which legislates laws and also supervises the president," the adviser said.
According to Cevik, the proposed reforms, if approved at the referendum, would give the parliament an ability "to take [the president] to court, to ask him questions, to open investigation … call early elections."
The chief adviser added that he expected about 60 percent of the voters to support the constitutional amendments at the upcoming referendum.
"That is what I believe [about the vote at the referendum in support of constitutional amendments]. There will be about, I think at the moment, 60 percent support for the change," he said.
In early February, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan approved the constitutional amendments that would increase presidential powers over the legislature and the judiciary. Under these amendments, the president would also be able to remain the head of the political party he represents, which is not allowed by the current legislation.
The amendments, however, have been criticized for potentially making the parliament dependent on the president, who as the leader of his or her party would be able to control who in the party participates in parliamentary elections.
On February 11, Turkey’s Supreme Election Board announced that the Turkish referendum on constitutional changes would take place on April 16.
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