Erdoğan reiterates call for 'civilian' constitution

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has renewed his administration's push for a new constitution, emphasizing that the new document should be a "civilian text."

"We believe that it is high time for Türkiye to get rid of the current constitution, which is a product of a coup," Erdoğan said during an event in the capital Ankara on Sept. 2.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has long criticized the existing constitution for its origins in the 1980 military coup.

Erdoğan's call for a "new and civilian" constitution faces hurdles as the AKP lacks the necessary parliamentary majority to advance the proposal. To bring the process to a referendum, the party would need support from more than 30 opposition MPs.

"We view the new constitution not just as a dry legal document, but as a collective agreement that includes our rights and responsibilities," Erdoğan said. "We are preparing a constitution that will move our country forward by uniting around our common values."

The president also urged opposition parties to support the constitutional reform.

"We can solve our problems not by arguing but by talking," Erdoğan said. "Everyone needs to see that the politics of hatred and conflict that has been fueled recently is of no use to either our democracy or our nation."

Erdoğan pledged that his government, along with its allies in the People's Alliance, is committed to drafting a constitutional text that "will carry our country into the future."

"We have not and will not allow those who try to bring back the law of the superiors instead of the principle of the rule of law," he said.

Since early May, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has been holding discussions with representatives of opposition parties regarding the new constitutional proposal.

Initial talks included main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, İYİ (Good) Party's head Müsavat Dervişoğlu and a delegate from the Felicity Party (SP).

Kurtulmuş continued discussions with Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the AKP's ruling alliance partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and later met with AKP officials on May 16.

In June, he began meeting with leaders of smaller parties that lack a parliamentary group, including the Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR), the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the New Welfare Party (YRP), the Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP) and the Labor Party (EMEP).

In Türkiye, a party must have at least 20 MPs to establish a parliamentary group.