Turkish nationalists favor referendum for switch to presidential system

Turkey's nationalist opposition is in favor of maintaining the country's parliamentary system but is not against holding a referendum on introducing an executive presidency, its leader Devlet Bahceli said.

"The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is in favor of the continuation of the parliamentary system but also does not see a problem in asking the people their view," Bahceli said in a speech to his party's lawmakers.

“We will respect the decision of the Turkish people on the presidential system. The AK Party should introduce its own constitutional draft to parliament. This draft will either be approved if it garners 367 votes or will be taken to a referendum if it gets more than 330 votes,” the Hürriyet Daily cited Bahceli as saying.