CHP cool on AKP’s calls for writing a new constitution

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has announced that it has reservations about writing a new constitution with the ruling party due to democratic deficiencies and lack of judicial independence.

“We cannot amend the constitution with a government who does not implement the decisions of the Constitutional Court and keep elected lawmaker Can Atalay behind bars,” CHP leader Özgür Özel said in a televised interview on April 4.

His words came after Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş called on all the political parties to contribute to writing and approving a new civilian, libertarian constitution during the current legislative term which will last until 2028.

“It’s time for Türkiye to get rid of the current constitution which carries the darkest parts of the 1960 and 1980 coup d’états,” Kurtulmuş had said, underlining that it is the responsibility of this parliament.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has long been advocating for a new civilian constitution, but it has no sufficient majority to take a blueprint to referendum. It needs at least around three dozen votes from other political parties.

The main opposition party leader said, in principle, that his party is not against writing a new constitution. “The constitutions can surely be changed or rewritten in line with the needs of the public opinion,” Özel said but adding that the AKP’s poor democratic performance and its interference in judicial processes are the main reasons why the main opposition party will not contribute to the process.

He cited the fact that Can Atalay, who was elected to parliament from the ranks of the Türkiye Workers’ Party (TİP) in May 2023, is still behind bars despite the decisions taken by the Constitutional Court.

Özel criticized the government for undermining judicial independence and impartiality for its political purposes.