AKP submits new omnibus bill to parliament

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has introduced a comprehensive omnibus bill to parliament, addressing various issues from the use of surnames by married women to the sale of vehicles banned from traffic.

Under the proposed legislation, married women will be permitted to use their maiden name only in conjunction with their husband's surname.

The justification cited for this stipulation is the "potential negative impact on children and the confusion surrounding which surname they should use" if their parents have different last names.

Last year, the Constitutional Court annulled a regulation that allowed a woman to use her maiden name only alongside her husband's surname, declaring it contrary to the principle of equality.

The ruling gave parliament nine months to draft a new regulation accordingly. However, the law proposal does not align with the top court's directive.

Additionally, the omnibus bill grants mothers the right to sue for the denial of paternity between a father and a child.

Another provision aims to facilitate the sale of vehicles that have been banned from traffic, impounded according to the law, or whose owners cannot be located to boost the economy.

The proposed law does not address a much-discussed regulation related to the crime of espionage, often referred to as "agent of influence."

AKP's parliamentary leader Abdullah Güler said while there has been no study on such a law, a new regulation on espionage would be included in a future proposal.

Güler argued that the Turkish Penal Code's (TCK) provisions on espionage are "insufficient given the advancements in technology."

"Various crimes that violate the TCK can be committed on behalf of an intelligence organization or a country. Future proposals will aim to provide more concrete and precise evidence to define the framework of such offenses," he told reporters on July 3.

In May, state broadcaster TRT reported that the draft law proposes prison sentences for those conducting or having conducted research on Turkish citizens, institutions organizations, or foreigners in Türkiye.

Opposition parties have criticized the legislation for its vagueness, expressing concern that it could be used to target government critics.

AKP officials have long said there was no such regulation in the proposal texts.