President of Turkey

President of the
Republic of Türkiye
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti
Cumhurbaşkanı
since 28 August 2014
Executive branch of the Turkish government
Style
StatusHead of state
Head of government
Commander-in-chief
Member ofCabinet
National Security Council
Supreme Military Council
ResidencePresidential Complex
AppointerDirect popular vote
Term lengthFive years, renewable once
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Turkey
Inaugural holderMustafa Kemal Atatürk
Formation29 October 1923
DeputyVice President
Salary1,428,000/US$ 75,435 (2023)[1]
Websitewww.tccb.gov.tr

The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı), is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-in-chief of the Turkish military. The president also heads the National Security Council.

The office of the president of Turkey was established with the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye on 29 October 1923, with the first president and founder being Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.[2][3] Traditionally, the presidency was mostly a ceremonial position, with real executive authority being exercised by the prime minister of Turkey. However, constitutional amendments approved in the 2017 constitutional referendum abolished the office of prime minister, and vested the presidency with full executive powers, effective upon the 2018 general election.[4][5] The president is directly elected by eligible Turkish voters for a five-year term.[6][7]

The president of Turkey is referred to as Cumhurbaşkanı ("Republic leader"), and previously archaically as Cumhurreisi or Reis-i Cumhur, also meaning "head of the republic/people".[8][9]

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the 12th and current president of Turkey, who has held the office since 28 August 2014.

  1. ^ "Erdoğan'ın 2022 yılında alacağı maaş belli oldu" (in Turkish). T24. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Atatürk ilkeleri ve inkılap tarihi 2". Istanbul University. Retrieved 21 October 2021.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Cumhuriyet'in Kuruluşu..." www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). 11 March 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Erdogan loyalist Yildirim: happy to become Turkey's last prime minister". Reuters. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Turkey's Ex-PM Made Parliament Speaker After Office Abolished". VOA. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  6. ^ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | Constitution of the Republic of Turkey". Refworld. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  7. ^ SABAH, DAILY (2 August 2021). "Turkey's new constitution to allow citizens to introduce laws". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  8. ^ Kemal Çiçek; Ercüment Kuran; Nejat Göyünç; İlber Ortaylı (2000). The Great Ottoman-Turkish Civilisation. Yeni Türkiye. p. 226.
  9. ^ Jacob M. Landau (2004). Exploring Ottoman and Turkish History. p. 117.