AKP’s draft constitution almost complete, says official

ANKARA

An official from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has informed that the party has almost completed drafting its constitutional proposal and is planning to unveil it sometime after the Ramadan Feast.

The statement comes as the AKP’s main political ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), announced that it penned a 100-article charter draft to contribute to the AKP’s bid for a new civilian constitution in the centennial of the Republic of Turkey.

“We welcome Mr. Bahçeli’s proposal for a 100-article constitution on the 100th anniversary of our republic. Our constitution writing process is about to finish, too. I hope it will be shared with the public at an appropriate time after Eid al-Fitr,” Naci Bostancı, deputy parliamentary group leader of the AKP, told reporters late April 4 while commenting on MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s announcement of MHP’s draft.

“Constitutions must be texts of social consensus. We, as the People’s Alliance, will first carry out our work internally and later will like to pursue a process with other parties,” he stated, calling on all other parties to prepare their own constitutional drafts as well.

“As everyone agrees on the need for a new constitution instead of this current constitution, the product of the 1980 military coup, therefore, proposals for a new constitution should be put forward,” Bostancı said.

He added a new civilian constitution is a responsibility of Turkish politics, and all political parties should act constructively to this end.

The opposition regards the People’s Alliance’s bid for a new constitution as an effort to divert the public agenda from the economic troubles.