Gov't, CHP, MHP on same page for constitutional change to tackle Gülenist infiltration
Following the failed July 15 Gülenist coup attempt, leaders of the ruling party and two opposition parties have agreed on a mini constitution package to cleanse Gülenist infiltrators from the judiciary and enhance its independence and objectivity. A constitution is expected to become a major topic of discussion once again.
On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted a historic meeting with the chairman of the ruling Justice and Development (AK Party), Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli to send a message of unity to the perpetrators of the coup attempt. The leaders also agreed on the mini constitution package. Speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Monday evening, Yıldırım said that they had reached a consensus on establishing a new, democratic constitution. "We have agreed to make minor changes to the current constitution, and the process to draft a whole new constitution has started," he said.
According to presidential sources, Erdoğan and the party leaders present reached a common position on establishing a new constitution with contributions from all parties. Moreover all the parties have agreed to immediately resume and continue the process of drafting a new constitution process, which had been left unfinished in recent months.
Within the previous years, the four parties in Parliament came to an agreement on the reconstruction of the judiciary at Parliament's Constitutional Reconciliation Commission. Accordingly, the Supreme Military Court and Military High Administrative Court will both be abolished. A new statement will be added to a new constitution draft in order to prevent military jurisdiction from being regulated in the laws. According to the agreement of the four parties, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors will be divided into two parts, the Council of Judges and the Council of Prosecutors. The members of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors will be chosen by Parliament. It is expected that articles will be added to a constitution to prevent future coups. Alternative formulas such as transforming the National Security Council into a technical institution and making force commanders subordinate to the National Defense Ministry are also under discussion.
Commenting on the issue, Ahmet İyimaya, the chairman of the previous ad-hoc Constitutional Reconciliation Commission, said that details of the constitutional changes will become clearer in the coming days. "I'm glad to hear the leaders of the three political parties [at the meeting] have reached a consensus for constitutional changes. Details will be clear soon," he said on Tuesday. AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Bülent Turan told Daily Sabah that the coup attempt once again revealed Turkey's urgent need for a new constitution. "We [AK Party] have made tremendous efforts since 2011 to draft a new civilian constitution, but these efforts did not succeed. The urgency for a new constitution became more apparent today. That's why all the political parties in Parliament should come together and take solid steps to reach this goal without losing time," Turan said.
CHP Group Deputy Chairman Engin Altay, speaking in Parliament, said that the former Constitution Reconciliation Committee's studies constituted the mini-package and can be resumed or a new study can be carried out. Altay said the conditions imposed by his party are the conservation of the first four articles of the current Constitution, protection of the parliamentary system and cleansing the coup law.
The group deputy chairmen of the political parties are expected to come together in the coming days to discuss details and start the process for constitutional change.
On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted a historic meeting with the chairman of the ruling Justice and Development (AK Party), Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli to send a message of unity to the perpetrators of the coup attempt. The leaders also agreed on the mini constitution package. Speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Monday evening, Yıldırım said that they had reached a consensus on establishing a new, democratic constitution. "We have agreed to make minor changes to the current constitution, and the process to draft a whole new constitution has started," he said.
According to presidential sources, Erdoğan and the party leaders present reached a common position on establishing a new constitution with contributions from all parties. Moreover all the parties have agreed to immediately resume and continue the process of drafting a new constitution process, which had been left unfinished in recent months.
Within the previous years, the four parties in Parliament came to an agreement on the reconstruction of the judiciary at Parliament's Constitutional Reconciliation Commission. Accordingly, the Supreme Military Court and Military High Administrative Court will both be abolished. A new statement will be added to a new constitution draft in order to prevent military jurisdiction from being regulated in the laws. According to the agreement of the four parties, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors will be divided into two parts, the Council of Judges and the Council of Prosecutors. The members of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors will be chosen by Parliament. It is expected that articles will be added to a constitution to prevent future coups. Alternative formulas such as transforming the National Security Council into a technical institution and making force commanders subordinate to the National Defense Ministry are also under discussion.
Commenting on the issue, Ahmet İyimaya, the chairman of the previous ad-hoc Constitutional Reconciliation Commission, said that details of the constitutional changes will become clearer in the coming days. "I'm glad to hear the leaders of the three political parties [at the meeting] have reached a consensus for constitutional changes. Details will be clear soon," he said on Tuesday. AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Bülent Turan told Daily Sabah that the coup attempt once again revealed Turkey's urgent need for a new constitution. "We [AK Party] have made tremendous efforts since 2011 to draft a new civilian constitution, but these efforts did not succeed. The urgency for a new constitution became more apparent today. That's why all the political parties in Parliament should come together and take solid steps to reach this goal without losing time," Turan said.
CHP Group Deputy Chairman Engin Altay, speaking in Parliament, said that the former Constitution Reconciliation Committee's studies constituted the mini-package and can be resumed or a new study can be carried out. Altay said the conditions imposed by his party are the conservation of the first four articles of the current Constitution, protection of the parliamentary system and cleansing the coup law.
The group deputy chairmen of the political parties are expected to come together in the coming days to discuss details and start the process for constitutional change.