Kurtulmuş expands discussions on new constitution proposal

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has expanded his consultations to discuss the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) proposal for a new constitution.

On June 4, Kurtulmuş began meeting with leaders of parties that lack a parliamentary group, including the Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR), the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the New Welfare Party (YRP).

To establish a group in the Turkish parliament, a party must have at least 20 MPs.

The AKP's long-pending proposal for a new and "civilian" constitution lacks the necessary parliamentary majority. For the new constitution to progress to a referendum, the AKP needs support from at least 37 MPs from opposition parties.

The current charter has long been criticized by the AKP for its origins in the 1980 military coup.

Initial discussions have seen Kurtulmuş engage with 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 new head Müsavat Dervişoğlu and a delegate from the Felicity Party (SP).

Recently, Kurtulmuş concluded meetings with Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the AKP’s ruling alliance partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and subsequently with AKP officials on May 16.

The parliament speaker said the preliminary visits have set the stage for substantive negotiations when the new legislative period begins in October.

Meanwhile, the CHP stresses the importance of "adhering to the existing constitution," citing concerns over the non-implementation of Constitutional Court decisions, particularly regarding ex-MP Can Atalay, whose parliamentary status was revoked despite top rulings.

Other parties, including the DEM Party and the İYİ Party, have called for prioritizing economic challenges over constitutional deliberations.

In the upcoming days, Kurtulmuş plans to meet with additional parties, including the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), the Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP) and the Labor Party (EMEP).

President and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan deems the proposal for a new constitution a "national duty."

"Constitutions made without seeking compromise are crippled beyond birth, they are closer to producing a crisis," he stated during an event in Istanbul on May 27.

The president criticized the current charter for failing to achieve a national consensus. He argued that such texts "poison the relationship between the state and the citizen."

"We now have to accept some facts. We cannot continue with the current constitution, which reflects the consensus of the elites," Erdoğan said. "Turkish democracy has the power, maturity and strength to make a new and civilian constitution. I believe that a new constitution is a national duty."