Parliament speaker, CHP leader hold 1st constitution talk

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has engaged in a "constructive" meeting with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel in the first round of talks on a proposed new constitution.

Speaking to the press following the meeting in the capital Ankara on April 30, Kurtulmuş stated that they did not delve into the content of the new constitution, emphasizing that this process would progress through negotiation.

"I expressed the idea of forming a process with negotiation. We haven't discussed a single sentence regarding the content of the constitution so far. The first task is to determine the procedures to be followed so that negotiations should proceed in the right direction," Kurtulmuş said.

He stated that they aimed to gather opinions from parties on the procedure by the end of May, expecting parties to refine their proposals internally during the summer and start negotiations in the new term in the parliament.

"Parties do not have constitutions. They have constitutional proposals. I have gathered opinions on the constitution-making process. It was a constructive meeting for me. Together, we will make progress,” Kurtulmuş expressed.

The CHP leader, for his part, emphasized the necessity of an open negotiation atmosphere for all parties and various segments of society, stating that they conveyed their sensitivities to the parliament speaker.

Özel underscored that the crucial issue is to adhere to the new constitution collectively.

"If we are to adhere to the constitution, let's amend it. We conveyed our sensitivities on this matter. If we are not going to adhere to the constitution, what difference does it make if we make a new one or not?" he asked.

Discussions surrounding the new constitution are poised to be a focal point in the upcoming meeting between CHP leader Özgür Özel and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, scheduled for May 2.

The initiative, put forward by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in December 2022, currently lacks the necessary majority in the parliament. It hinges on garnering the support of at least 37 lawmakers from opposition parties to push a constitutional amendment to a referendum.

The necessity for a new constitution primarily stems from the imperative to “break free from the spirit and antidemocratic structure of the existing text,” which was prepared during the era of the 1980 military coup, Kurtulmuş earlier stated.