'AKP is seeking supermajority for a new constitution by dismissing HDP deputies'

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The recent summaries of proceedings for the lift of legislative immunity for opposition are aimed at gaining a supermajority for the ruling bloc, according to the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair, Saruhan Oluç.

"The government wants to reach 400 MPs, the number to change the constitution on its own. In fact, their concern is attaining absolute power," he told a press conference at the parliament on Friday (February 26).

Summaries of proceedings concerning 22 HDP lawmakers and three MPs from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) who have criminal investigations and cases against them were submitted to the Parliamentary Speaker on the same day. 

With further submissions on Saturday, there are now a total of 1,335 summaries of proceedings against 195 lawmakers from various parties. Fifty-nine of them are from the HDP, 95 are from the CHP, 12 are from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and eight are from its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

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The summaries of proceedings are now pending at the parliament's Joint Committee of Constitution and Justice, where the ruling bloc has the majority. The committee can selectively process the filings.

"They have the legislative majority but they can't make amendments to the constitution. Their real target is to reach the number that makes this possible; when this happens, there will be no obstacles to reach absolute power," said Oluç.

President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other senior government officials have been calling for a new constitution over the past month.

While Erdoğan has invited all political parties and NGOs to contribute to the new constitution, the opposition has not welcomed his call so far.

The AKP, the MHP and the Grand Unity Party (BBP), which form the People's Alliance, have a total of 337 MPs while they need 360 for a referendum for an amendment to the Constitution and 400 to change the Constitution without a referendum.

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"The way for making a new social contract that is civilian and that includes all the society is to ensure that there is an environment of democratic discussion, in other words, to change the political climate," said Oluç.

"But does the ruling power have an intention to change the political climate?

"If they don't have such an intention, then what is the way to make a new constitution? To have 400 deputies in the parliament. How can you have 400 deputies in the parliament? There is only one way to do this. You either make the İYİ [Good] Party side with you or purge the HDP.

"Why is it so important to purge the HDP? Because the HDP gets a very serious share of votes ... in the Kurdish region and if the HDP can't get these votes, if it can't participate in the elections, the AKP will get those seats, this is what they think."

(EKN/RT/VK)