Erdoğan pushes for charter change as parliament reopens

ANKARA

The second chapter of the Turkish parliament's 28th legislative term commenced on Oct. 1, marked by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's reiterated calls for constitutional change.

"It is the primary responsibility of all of us to save Türkiye from the current constitutional hump that the coup administration put on our nation 41 years ago on Sept. 12 [1980]," Erdoğan remarked in a speech delivered at the reopening ceremony of parliament.

Among the pressing matters on the parliamentary agenda after a hiatus of around 2.5 months is the ruling People's Alliance's call for constitutional amendment. The discussions will focus on various alternatives regarding the methods, procedures and timelines for the proposed constitutional changes. Negotiations with the opposition parties are also slated for the agenda.

Erdoğan underlined the inadequacy of the existing constitution, which has undergone more than 20 changes in its 41-year history. "This constitution, now a patchwork bundle, cannot carry the Türkiye of 2023," he declared. Erdoğan expressed confidence in Türkiye's "democratic maturity," suggesting that the nation was "ready to break from historical constraints imposed after the 1960 coup."

The president lamented the opposition's lack of cooperation on the issue, despite a decade-long effort by his administration. "We have not lost hope," Erdoğan said, calling upon all MPs and societal segments to support the constitutional proposal constructively.

Proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in December 2022, the amendment seeks constitutional guarantees for the headscarf.

However, garnering 400 votes in favor is necessary for the proposal's acceptance, and the current tally of supporting deputies from the People's Alliance falls short at 323.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) remains opposed. "Secularism is a must for us. It is our duty to embrace the secularism article in the constitution," party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu told daily Cumhuriyet over the weekend.

Another crucial matter on the parliament's agenda is the impending vote on Sweden's NATO membership. Türkiye withdrew its objection to the Nordic country's membership after an agreement was reached at the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius in July.

The decision was based on Sweden's commitment to "supporting Türkiye in its fight against terrorism," as outlined in a memorandum of understanding.

Additionally, the Treasury and Finance Ministry, along with the Labor and Social Security Ministry, is actively working on pension reforms. A proposal for these reforms is expected to be presented to the parliament within this month.

Simultaneously, the parliamentary process regarding a summary prepared for CHP lawmaker Sezgin Tanrıkulu continues. The report against Tanrıkulu, who faces an investigation due to his critical remarks about the Turkish Armed Forces, is anticipated to be submitted to the parliament shortly.

‘EU’s attitude remains unfair’

In his statement, Erdoğan also expressed deep frustration with the European Union's handling of Türkiye's long-term membership talks. According to Erdoğan, the EU's attitude has remained unfair and partisan despite the sacrifices made by Türkiye.

The president specifically criticized the EU's imposition of visas, which he considered a "veiled sanction" against Türkiye.

"If they rectify these injustices and reverse measures like the visa imposition," they could correct their mistakes, Erdoğan said. However, he warned that failure to do so "would result in the EU losing any political, social, economic, and military expectations from Türkiye."

The country's accession process, which has been largely stalled since 2016, was thrust back into the spotlight after Erdoğan made the recommencement of the country's membership talks a prerequisite for ratifying Sweden's NATO bid.

The formal negotiations started between Türkiye and the EU for the former’s joining the 27-member club in 2005, but the process has de facto been suspended by Brussels due to the country’s inability to fulfill the required membership criteria.