The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has submitted a proposal for a Political Ethics Law to Parliament. The draft law aims to move Turkish politics toward more accountability, set standards for political behavior is expected to be discussed in the General Assembly in the coming weeks.
The draft law introduces codes of conduct, rules on gifts and hospitality, post-employment restrictions, requirements to record contact with lobbyists and conflicts of interest policies. The draft law stipulates that deputies will not be able accept gifts from foreign governments and foreign institutions that exceed a value of TL 13,000 ($4,630) and deputies would be barred from using their titles in commercial and trade related business. The political ethics law would also establish a Political Ethics Commission in Parliament to monitor deputies' affairs.
The regulation forbids members of Parliament from accepting gifts that exceeds value of 10 times the minimum salary. Deputies would need to give gifts that exceed that limit to the Presidency of the Parliament. The draft law also regulates the jobs and professions that deputies are banned from.
