PM Yıldırım, MHP head Bahçeli meet on new constitution

ANKARA

AA photo

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli met late on Dec. 26 to discuss a new draft constitution, a Prime Ministry source has said.      

The two leaders came together at the Çankaya Palace in Ankara.      

The source said that Yıldırım and Bahçeli during the meeting exchanged views on Turkey’s fight against terrorism.      

The government has long sought to replace the current parliamentary system with a presidential one.

However, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) does not have enough lawmakers to enact the proposal. The draft constitution needs at least 330 votes in a secret parliamentary ballot to pave the way for a referendum.      

The AKP has 316 seats and the MHP has 40 lawmakers; both parties have said they backed the bill.      

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) remains opposed to the changes.   

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized that he will push for a referendum even if the draft is approved by a two-thirds majority in parliament.