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Erdogan's Kurdish gamble

Erdogan, who wants to establish a constitutional authoritarian regime, is taking a big risk by linking the fate of the struggle with the Kurds to his political agenda.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during a meeting on the new constitution at the Congresium in Ankara, Jan. 28, 2016. — ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images

Turkey’s strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to have launched a campaign for a new constitution so he can shape the kind of presidential role he wants for himself.

Erdogan and his allied media have been harping for some time on the message that the parliamentary system in Turkey has become obsolete and must be replaced by a presidential system. Naturally, Erdogan has fully mobilized his Justice and Development Party (AKP) for that goal.

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