CHP to defy ‘charter talk provacations’

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

As the Constitution Conciliation Commission begins writing the articles of the country’s first civilian charter, the main opposition party has reiterated its commitment to the process, saying it won’t leave the table under any conditions.

“They may force to do so but we won’t be the one who leave the table. We will discuss everything under the Parliament’s roof. Let’s continue to voice our demand for a new charter,” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu told his party’s representatives in the Constitution Commission, according to information the Hürriyet Daily News gathered. The Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) chief met with a number of his party’s lawmakers, including the CHP’s three representatives at the commission.

Bringing the presidential system back onto the country’s agenda at a moment when the parties have been focused on rewriting the constitution is an attempt to corrupt the process, according to the CHP brass. “They simply want us to quit the commission,” Kılıçdaroğlu told his deputies.

The CHP deputies also discussed the party’s red lines over the new constitution, suggesting that the blueprint reflect a democratic constitution with fundamental principles of secularism, democracy, rule of law and the integrity of the country. CHP deputies have decided to share these principles with the society. Kılıçdaroğlu also said the commission should start writing the charter from the first article and not leave controversial articles to the later stages. The second stage of the new constitution began on May 1 with the mission of writing the articles.