Opposition rejects meeting with AKP over headscarf bill

ANKARA

The oppositional parties have rejected to hold fresh talks with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) over a constitutional amendment package that seeks to remove obstacles before women wearing a headscarf in public and private spaces.

The Republican People’s Party (CHP), the İYİ (Good) Party and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) have rejected to hold talks with the AKP over the constitutional amendments.

The AKP and its main political partner, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), submitted a constitutional amendment package to the parliament in the last days of 2022, but they need the support of the opposition to legislate it. It seeks to liberate the use of headscarf in public and private life as well as protect the structure of the family by making clear that marriage can only be between a man and a woman.

The CHP and the İYİ Party criticized the AKP for accelerating the motions against CHP MP Mahir Ali Başarır and İYİ Party MP Lütfü Türkkan for the removal of their parliamentarian status.

A parliamentary panel will begin to discuss the processes against the two opposition lawmakers on Jan. 11. Under normal conditions, the parliament postpones all legal prosecutions against the lawmakers until the end of the legislative years except for terror-linked charges. The two opposition parties have jointly decided not to hold such a meeting with the AKP under these conditions.

CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu slammed the move by the parliament against two deputies, saying, “I declare from here on behalf of the CHP lawmakers. If you don’t remove the immunity of all the CHP lawmakers then you are acting cowardly.”

Saruhan Oluç, the deputy parliamentary group leader of the HDP, stressed that there was no longer a ground for discussing constitutional amendments amid ongoing violations of human rights and democratic norms.

The AKP and the MHP need at least 24 votes to take their constitutional amendment to referendum.