CHP expresses concern over charter process

Turkey’s main opposition has raised concerns that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is not sincere in its stated commitment of creating a new, more democratic constitution for Turkey.

The misgivings were raised by Atilla Kart and Rıza Türmen, the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) representatives on the Constitution Conciliation Commission, who said the AKP had rejected opposition demands for a number of democratic reforms to be carried out in parallel to the constitution-making process.

“The government’s attitude on freedoms will be important to show whether it is sincere or not,” Türmen told a press conference in Parliament yesterday.

Under current circumstances in Turkey where “freedoms and democracy are being suppressed, a truly democratic and free constitution cannot be created,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the CHP parliamentary group met behind closed doors to discuss the constitution-making process.

The Hürriyet Daily News has learned that around 20 deputies voiced their opinions after Kart and Türkmen informed the party on the commission’s progress. The deputies said the CHP should maintain its “red lines,” which were previously defined by party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as the unchangeable first three articles of the Constitution and the matter of constitutional citizenship.

Kılıçdaroğlu, however, said the CHP would not leave the commission and would work with goodwill, according to reports.