Main opposition party members argue during Constitution session

ANKARA

“I did not give the right to be the spokesperson of the party to anyone. I also have a right to speak. It is impossible for the CHP to accept these regulations,” Süheyl Batum said.

Republican People’s Party members Atilla Kart and Süheyl Batum caused a brief stalemate in the Constitution Conciliation Commission’s Aug. 19 session when the two members refused to end an argument, according to daily Hürriyet.

The rift between the two members began when they could not agree over a regulation before they broke into a debate about who had the right to speak in the name of the main opposition party.

A judicial regulation regarding member selections to Council of State and the Supreme Court of Appeals caused a split between Kart and Batum, who thought the regulation was “against CHP principles.”

Kart, however, said he was the “spokesperson for the party” and had liked the regulation as it was, which prompted Batum to respond.

“I did not give the right to be the spokesperson of the party to anyone. I also have a right to speak. It is impossible for the CHP to accept these regulations,” Batum said.

The argument did not die down despite all attempts, causing the session to be adjourned. The next session was scheduled a day after.

The members, however, managed to agree on a regulation that expanded the Constitutional Court’s jurisdiction to include political party cases and complaints as well.