By Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA (AA) – The leader of Turkey's main opposition party made a call on Tuesday for judicial independence in the country.
"If justice is broken, the state begins to deteriorate. So, those who run the state should pay attention to the judicial independence," Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), told his party's parliamentary group.
Criticizing the presidential power in Turkey to appoint senior judges under its new system of government in practice since 2018, Kilicdaroglu said: "The chairman of a political party cannot and should not appoint a judge to the courts."
"Otherwise, decay begins in the state," he added.
Turkey adopted its executive presidential system of government in 2017 via referendum vote and put it into practice a year later following general and presidential elections.
Turkish officials have touted the benefits of the new system, saying it eliminates inefficiencies and enables the smoother working of the administration.
