PRIME Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told his lawmakers that he is still undecided as to whether he will pursue the presidency, but he vowed to use the full powers given by the Constitution if he is elected president in the popular vote, scheduled for August.

Erdoğan convened with his lawmakers April 16 in a meeting that provided a good opportunity for the prime minister to take the pulse of his parliamentary group in his bid to shape a road map for the August presidential elections. 

“If I step into the [Çankaya Presidential Palace], I will be the people’s President. I will use my full constitutional competences,” Erdoğan was reportedly told his lawmakers at a meeting at the Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters, as debates about the transition into a semi-presidential or presidential system is still ongoing.

Erdoğan argued that the President would de facto become the executive office for being elected by a popular vote.

He said: “I have not made my decision yet. And I do not approve of pronouncing names [for the presidential bid] at this point. There will be no flood after me or with me. The most important thing is the institutional structure of our party.”

The meeting took place under strict security measures as no ministers and lawmakers were permitted to bring cell phones inside to prevent an illegal recording of the talks.Erdoğan said his consultations would not be limited to his party fellows and that he would also talk to NGOs, decision-makers and other important groups to look into how social consensus could be built for the presidential elections.