Turkish elections could shift president’s role

By Suzan Fraser

Published August 9, 2014 7:17am ET

Add Washington Examiner on Google

Turkish elections could shift president’s role — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan wave to supporters after a rally in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014. Some 53 million Turks go the polls on Sunday to choose their 12th president in an election considered a turning point for the country of 76 million people, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vying for the position he has pledged to transform from a symbolic role into a position of power. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the former chief of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas are also running. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) | Burhan Ozbilici

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the front-runner in Turkey’s first direct presidential election on Sunday, says that if elected he will be an active head of state who “sweats, runs and rushes around” — not just a ceremonial figurehead as presidents have been in the past.

Print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Digital subscriber? Click here to login/register your account.

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.

Tag:

World