CHP wants live broadcast of charter debates in parliament

ANKARA

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The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has appealed to the Parliamentary Speakers’ Office to ensure that parliamentary deliberations on a constitutional amendment proposal are aired live on TV so that the public can be informed about the content of the planned changes.

“According to the protocol signed between parliament and the TRT [state-run Turkish Radio and Television Channel], we would like to request that the negotiations of the constitutional amendment proposal in parliament be broadcast live on the Turkish Grand National Assembly TV,” read the appeal signed by CHP’s deputy parliamentary group leaders  on Jan. 6. 

The appeal underlined the importance of the constitutional amendment for the future of Turkey and said it should be transparent. The lawmakers stated that the proposal discussions, scheduled to begin on Jan. 9, had to be monitored by citizens at every stage.

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu called on the public to closely follow parliamentary discussions starting from Jan. 9 to see how the main opposition would resist the amendments. 

The CHP has previously demanded live broadcasts of the discussions on the proposals in the parliamentary constitutional committee, but the proposal was denied by the chair.

An 18-article constitutional draft will be submitted to parliament’s general assembly in two-stage discussions. The voting will take place in the second stage, during which 330 votes will be sufficient to bring the draft to a referendum.