AK Party, MHP agree on changes to bylaws, submit proposal

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) agreed late on Thursday on changes to parliamentary bylaws.

In a six-hour meeting, authorities from the AK Party and MHP came to common terms regarding parliamentary bylaws changes. Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitaş and MHP Group Deputy Chairman Erkan Akçay said the meeting was very fruitful.

"It was a very beneficial meeting. Bilateral views and suggestions were reflected on the parliamentary bylaws changes," Akçay said.

Elitaş asserted that the two parties carried out effective and efficient work to change the bylaws, which was required by the constitutional changes approved in the April 16 referendum.

Commenting on the significance of the collaboration between the AK Party and MHP, Elitaş said that the two parties set an example for bilateral talks and reaching a conclusion. Akçay thanked MHP Constitutional Committee member Mehmet Parsak and AK Party Secretary General Abdulhamit Gül.

After the joint press conference, Elitaş and Akçay signed the proposal. The two parties were expected to have submitted the proposal the changes on Friday.

The parties in Parliament had to make adjustments to the bylaws in accordance with the new executive presidential system. Sources within the AK Party previously said that preparations had been made for this for a while.

Political sources previously claimed that the AK Party came to common terms with the nationalist MHP on changing the bylaws. The two parties brought the constitutional amendment to Parliament in the first place. The AK Party and MHP campaigned in favor of the constitutional changes in the run-up to the referendum.

So far, there have been many attempts to reshape parliamentary bylaws. The current bylaws were approved on March 5, 1973, and took effect on Sept. 1, 1973. However, parties have made efforts to change them more than 150 times since.