According to new information, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has recently finished writing a draft constitution. The draft will be finalized after a series of discussions in relevant party committees and will be shared with the public afterward.

The draft, which was prepared by a committee coordinated by CHP Deputy Chair Bülent Tezcan, who is in charge of legal and electoral affairs, contains basic principles written item by item, including the first four articles of the current Constitution concerning the founding principles of the Republic.

With contributions from academics, legal experts and nongovernmental organizations, the draft puts a strong parliamentary system forward in terms of both legislation and checks and balances. Highlighting the importance of the separation of powers, it further stresses the necessity of the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.

Planning to restrict presidential authority in accordance with parliamentary democracy, the draft constitution regards the president as an element of "equilibration." Paying considerable attention to the balance of authorities and responsibilities, there are also some constitutional board included in the draft to prevent any kind of malfeasance.

The draft, giving wide coverage to basic rights and freedoms, also includes articles to reiterate the social state structure.

In February, the CHP delegation left the Constitution Conciliation Committee that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) formed to discuss a new constitution. It had 12 deputies – three from each of the four parties in Parliament. The committee held its first meeting on Feb. 3 in a bid to write a new constitution to replace the current one, which came out of Turkey's military regime of the 1980s.

The CHP delegation left the committee during its third meeting in February due to the AK Party debate about switching to a presidential system.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) also released an official statement saying that the party will not support or contribute to a new constitution if the AK Party includes a presidential system.