Türkiye to liberate constitution from coup-era ideology: Erdoğan

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that he aims to liberate Türkiye's constitution from coup-era military tutelage ideology and revive it with a civilian and libertarian constitution on the centenary of the republic.

Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara on Aug. 7, the president noted that constitutional amendments were one of the priorities of the new government, elected in June.

“With the opening of our parliament, we will fulfill our promises to our nation, especially the legislation on headscarf and family protection. In the 100th anniversary of our republic, we want to rid the Turkish democracy of the coup constitution and introduce a civilian and libertarian constitution,” Erdoğan said.

Erdoğan previously expressed his desire to liberate the country from its current constitution, which he claims is a remnant of a coup d’état, stressing the need for a civilian, libertarian and inclusive constitution.

Ratification of the new constitution requires the support of 400 lawmakers out of 600. To take it to a referendum, at least 360 lawmakers’ votes are needed. Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its main ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) need the backing of around 40 lawmakers for taking a constitutional amendment to referendum.

“We have achieved the greatest progress in democracy and development in Türkiye’s history. By prioritizing investment, employment and production, we have developed and strengthened Türkiye. Now, there is a Türkiye that has grown by an average of 5.5 percent every year, raising its national income from $238 billion to $1 trillion, its exports from $35 billion to $254 billion, and its employment from 19 million to 32 million people,” he said.

The government has not only addressed the fundamental shortcomings in development and democracy, accumulated over the previous years, but it has also built an infrastructure that will increase the welfare of all of the citizens in all areas from education to health, housing to environment, with an additional population of 20 million, Erdoğan stated.

Noting that the government allocated $3.7 billion of the $15 trillion national income to investment in the past 21 years, Erdoğan stated the average inflation rate for the past 21 years has been below 15 percent.

Erdoğan also reiterated his vow to bring inflation down to single digits.

“We will bring inflation, which has been rising due to the overlapping of many internal and external supply issues, down to single digits again,” Erdoğan underlined.

“There are two issues that we have never compromised in this process; one is employment, and the other is growth. We believe that we have overcome all the tests we have faced thanks to the fact that we have never stopped these two engines. We are building the ‘Century of Türkiye’ on this understanding,” he added.