The New Constitution in Turkey Will Just Fix the Current Situation

• 10.25.2016, 11:54
•  Region,  World

Reuters

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has finished work on the draft of a new Constitution, which will change the country’s parliamentary system to an executive presidency, Hurriyet reports. Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said Turkey’s presidential term will be five years in a new planned constitution. Deputies can also be elected to five-year-term.

It is planned to bring the proposal to the Parliament as soon as discussion with the two opposition forces - the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) – are over. As for the third largest opposition party in the Parliament - the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) - the AKP has refused to work with it.

The representatives of the ruling party expect the draft of a new Constitution to be approved in the Parliament in January. The possible referendum will probably take place in April. The AKP, with 316 seats in Parliament, needs the support of the 40-seat MHP to take any constitutional amendment for a referendum. MHP leader has already spoken in favor of the reform. According to the present Constitution, Turkish parliament can pass the bill by the constitutional majority of 367 or take it to referendum, if more than 330 members of the parliament vote for it, Sputnik informs. It should be noted that the possibility of a referendum is higher as Turkish President will prefer to underline the support of people.

There are at least two factors that deserve attention. At first, the Turkish authorities try not to "make noise" over the document. Particularly, Turkish Prime Minister said Turkey should keep away from the "system discussion" and instead concentrate on other more pressing matters: terrorism, Yeni Safak reports. 

Second, the new Constitution will not bring any radical shifts except formal changes. It will just define the current situation. Recep Tayyip Erdogan that was elected President directly by popular vote for the first time, in fact, enjoys all the powers of the presidential system, and the new Constitution will just give legal status to the current situation.

"Construction of a new Turkey is inevitable, a new Constitution is inevitable, presidential system is inevitable," Erdogan emphasizes this in almost all his speeches. However, it is clear that on the basis of Erdogan’s plans to build a new Turkey is its aspiration to create dictatorship. All this gives grounds for analysts to argue that in the new Turkey Erdogan will be governed by religious conservatives, where democracy will be under the control of the authorities.