European Network of Legal Experts in Gender Equality and Non-discrimination Country Report: Gender Equality.
Abstract
Turkey is a unitary state following the system of Roman Law. It has a parliamentary
system.1 Parliament (the Turkish Grand National Assembly) is the legislature. It enacts the
laws. The Constitution is the fundamental law. Laws and regulations cannot contradict the
Constitution. If there is an urgent need for a particular law, in order to avoid the lengthy
enactment procedures, the Council of Ministers (the government) may prepare a statutory
decree and submit it to Parliament for its approval. Parliament may adopt, amend or reject
the statutory decree. By-laws are implementing regulations issued in the light of the laws
and statutory decrees by the Prime Minister’s Office, the ministries and public corporate
bodies. The government may issue circulars to clarify particular issues. As for the highest
courts, there are the Constitutional Court, the Council of State, the High Military Courts2
and the Court of Appeals.