Turkish opposition leaders meet to counter Erdogan’s system

ISTANBUL (AP) — The leaders of six opposition parties in Turkey have met for the first time to strategize about the future of the country’s governing system. In a statement following their dinner Saturday evening, the group said Turkey was experiencing “the deepest political and economic crisis” of its history and blamed it on the executive presidential system. They did not mention President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by name, but their clear aim is to find a way to work together to unseat him. Shortly after Erdogan switched from being prime minister to the presidency, Turkish voters narrowly chose the executive presidential system, scrapping Turkey’s parliamentary system. The new system gave the president sweeping powers and Erdogan won re-election the following year.