Kurtulmuş plans October talks on constitutional proposal

ANKARA

Contextual discussions on the government's long-pending proposal for a new constitution will commence in October, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has announced amid a flurry of negotiations with political parties.

Kurtulmuş concluded his inaugural round of consultations with representatives from various parties.

The initial discussions saw him holding talks with leaders including Özgür Özel of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Müsavat Dervişoğlu of the İYİ (Good) Party and a delegate from the Felicity Party.

Most recently, he met with Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)-led alliance partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), before concluding his rounds with a visit to AKP officials on May 16.

Kurtulmuş affirmed that his first round of visits paved the way for substantive negotiations on the proposed constitutional content when the next legislative period begins in October.

"We will ensure that everyone with ideas on this issue contributes to the process," he stated.

The proposal lacks the necessary parliamentary majority. The success of the initiative hinges on garnering support from at least 37 MPs from opposition parties to advance it to a referendum.

While the CHP and İYİ Party have voiced skepticism towards the proposed reforms, the DEM Party has adopted a cautiously optimistic stance.