Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş on Friday reiterated calls for a new, civilian and democratic constitution, urging all political parties, NGOs and segments of society to bring their proposals to the table for discussion.
Speaking during an official visit to Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, for the 14th General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TÜRKPA), Kurtulmuş highlighted that now is the “right time” to draft a new foundational text for Türkiye.
Responding to questions from journalists on the sidelines of the assembly, Kurtulmuş emphasized that if Türkiye is to undertake the process of drafting a new constitution, the legitimate platform for this debate is the Parliament itself.
“The constitution is a consensus document made on behalf of the nation. It cannot be the constitution of Party A or Party B. Parties can only present constitutional proposals,” he said.
He called for the process to be fully participatory: “Not just political parties, but NGOs and all segments of society with ideas on this issue should come forward. Proposals should be laid out, discussed, and deliberated in Parliament.”
Kurtulmuş underlined the significance of the current legislative term, stating, “The 28th term of the Grand National Assembly carries a historic responsibility in this regard.”
He acknowledged criticisms that the Constitution has already been amended numerous times, but insisted that its core – rooted in the military coup of 1980 – remains intact.
“There is a need for a new constitution that is civilian, democratic, participatory and encompassing of all segments of society,” he said. “This is not a luxury or a theoretical exercise; it is a crucial democratic threshold that Türkiye must overcome.”
He stressed that this threshold must be crossed through democratic maturity: “Everyone must refine and present their views, and this process must begin in Parliament.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has been pushing to overhaul Türkiye’s Constitution for over a decade now, which was enforced in 1982 following a military coup that led to the detention of hundreds of thousands of people along with mass trials, torture and executions, which still represents a dark period in Turkish political history.
Recalling his first speech after being elected speaker, Kurtulmuş reiterated that, “Half of politics is struggle, and the other half is negotiation.” Political competition is natural, he added, but when necessary, parties must be able to sit together, shake hands and forge common ground.
“The public is watching. They can distinguish between constructive players and those who aim to sabotage the process,” he noted. “That’s why my advice to all parties is this: make your preparations. This includes NGOs and all who have ideas on the matter. Let the discussion begin.”
Asked whether the process could move forward without the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which has expressed skepticism toward constitutional talks involving the ruling bloc, Kurtulmuş stressed that no political party has the luxury of opting out of the process.
“I’ve said this from the beginning: The ideal outcome is a new constitution passed by over 400 votes in Parliament,” he said. “That way, the text becomes the new social contract, the new consensus document of the nation.”
He acknowledged, however, that 100% agreement is unlikely in any political process. “There will always be dissenters, but the key is to maintain democratic maturity throughout the process. This is not just my responsibility as speaker; it is a shared responsibility of all political actors in Türkiye.”
Kurtulmuş also touched upon a possible revision of Parliament’s internal regulations, indicating that reforms are indeed necessary. He argued that the current system should be optimized for more efficient legislative work, especially in committees, while also ensuring balanced debate in the general assembly.
“The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye is one of the most hard-working parliaments in the world,” he said. “Despite criticisms to the contrary, our Parliament remains a vibrant arena of democratic activity.”
He noted that Parliament must provide more humane working conditions and create more structured deliberative spaces, particularly in committees. “We need a system where legislative proposals, once refined in committees, are discussed efficiently and respectfully in the General Assembly.”
Without necessarily changing the bylaws, Kurtulmuş said a consensus-driven approach among deputy speakers is needed to ensure fairness and consistency in managing parliamentary procedures.
“Let’s say one vice speaker gives 20 MPs one-minute speaking slots, while another allows 70 MPs in the same timeframe. That’s not sustainable,” he added. “We’ll prepare a joint statement on procedural harmony and declare it in Parliament.”
In response to a question about chairing Parliament for two uninterrupted weeks – a rare occurrence in the institution’s history – Kurtulmuş said the experience was both intense and enlightening.
“There were difficult debates, but MPs handled them with great maturity,” he said. “In fact, in one instance, about 13 articles were passed in just 45 minutes because the parties reached a consensus. When needed, it’s clear that political actors can come together and negotiate effectively.”
He expressed gratitude to all MPs for their cooperation and contributions to the legislative process during that time. “It was a valuable learning experience for me as Speaker and showed what can be achieved when Parliament works in harmony.”
