Turkish political parties could begin negotiations on the contents of a new constitution in October when Parliament reopens, according to Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş.
“Türkiye must get rid of its coup-era Constitution,” Kurtulmuş told reporters in Ankara on Thursday after completing his rounds of political parties with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
“We will strive for a transparent process where we will negotiate the method. So, when the next legislative term begins in the fall, we could begin discussing the contents,” Kurtulmuş said next to AK Party Deputy Group Chair Abdullah Güler.
“Parliament should definitely present a civil, democratic and inclusive constitution to our nation in the new period,” Güler echoed. “We expressed that we will support and contribute to the matter.”
Kurtulmuş has been holding one-on-one talks with leaders of political parties, seeking an agreement on the methods to draft a new constitution since the local elections in March.
After meeting with five other parties, including the main opposition’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), he assured that there was “unprejudiced support” for a new constitution.
“This constitutional issue should not be the subject of any political debate,” he said, emphasizing that the most important point is “sincerity” and “good intentions.”
“To manage a difficult process such as crafting a new constitution in a productive manner, dialogue must be set on sturdy ground,” Kurtulmuş said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has been pushing to overhaul Tükiye’s Constitution for over a decade now, which was enforced in 1982 following a military coup that led to the detention of hundreds of thousands of people along with mass trials, torture and executions, which still represents a dark period in Turkish political history.
Since its first draft was shelved in 2007, the AK Party has been working on “stronger” material, including changes focused on freedom, the right to security, the right to a fair trial, freedom of speech, and the rights of women and people with disabilities.
A new constitution draft must be ratified by at least 400 lawmakers in Parliament. Anything over 360 votes would allow a referendum, allowing the people to decide.
