Proper political climate needed for brand-new constitution: CHP

ANKARA

A majority of the Turkish population believes that Turkey needs a new constitution, but it must be written within a suitable political climate, the head of the main opposition party has said, in reaction to the government’s calls for the political parties to join their efforts to renew the charter.

“In today’s Turkey, those who are in favor of democracy believe that Turkey needs a new constitution on the condition that its first four articles remain unchanged. But there is a need for a sound political climate for such a constitutional amendment,” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), said at a party meeting over the weekend.

Kılıçdaroğlu’s words were in response to the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) calls for the political parties to come together to write a brand-new constitution for Turkey since the backbone of the current text is a product of the 1980 military coup.

The CHP leader described the current political picture as “highly polarized,” saying, “Turkey should get rid of this polarization. In order to start a discussion about a new constitution, you should first comply with the current constitution.”

Kılıçdaroğlu referred to the lower courts’ rejection of implementing the verdicts of the Constitutional Court on some cases brought to the attention of the high court through the individual appeal system.

“In fact, article 153 of the constitution stipulates that the rulings by the Constitutional Court binds on the legislation, execution and judicial bodies as well as administrative authorities, natural and legal persons in line with the rule of law principle,” he recalled.

The CHP leader reiterated that the priority of the opposition alliance is to adopt a strengthened parliamentary system instead of a current executive-presidential model which has been in place since mid-2018.