We will write a civilian constitution: CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu

MANİSA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has promised to write a “civilian constitution” with all segments of the society if they win the June 24 parliamentary elections.

“Workers; employers; non-governmental organizations; universities and professional organizations, all segments of the society, should come together to prepare an essential and a new short constitution,” Kılıçdaroğlu said at an event held with representatives of local NGOs in the western province of Manisa on June 8.

“If we actually write this constitution, it will be the first one written by the civil society. It is our goal. We will do this,” he said.

The CHP is running for parliament with an alliance called the “Nation Alliance,” which consists of opposition parties İYİ (Good) Party, Felicity Party (SP) and Democrat Party (DP), all of which objected to the constitutional amendments approved by the April 16, 2017 referendum. The alliance argues that the new executive system, which gives the president sweeping powers, will harm the democratic principle of the separation of powers.

Criticizing the current Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule of harming democratic principles, the parties in the Nation Alliance are pledging to “strengthen the parliamentary system” if they gain the majority in parliament in the upcoming parliamentary election. The parties last week agreed to form a commission to prepare a road map for the post-election period in order to ensure the “reinstatement of the democratic parliamentary system.” They are expected to announce the road map in following week.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on the other hand, criticized the Nation Alliance in his rally speeches this week, saying the CHP proposed “to destroy everything the AKP had built” and “to return Turkey to the old system.”

Responding to Erdoğan’s criticism, Kılıçdaroğlu said the CHP “criticizes the old system the most.”

“We do not want to return to the old system. We want to strengthen the democratic parliamentary system and become a country that has a developed democracy in the world,” he said.

He stressed on the “four pillars of democracy,” stating that the supervisory principles for the judiciary, execution and legislation are essential for democracy, and the independence of the media ensures the democratic system as a fourth pillar.

He also reiterated their objection to the 10 percent electoral threshold.

“When you have 34 percent of the votes, you have the representative power of the 65 percent in parliament. Your representation should be 34 percent. It means that the electoral law should also be changed,” he said.