Erdoğan: We have always been confronted with the Constitution

* Photo: Metin Aktaş - Ankara / AA

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Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the Parliamentary group meeting of his party in the capital Ankara today (February 10).

Addressing a series of issues on the country's agenda, President Erdoğan also talked about the "new Constitution."

Most recently, Erdoğan spoke after the cabinet meeting on February 1 and said, "Perhaps, it is time for Turkey to discuss a new constitution again." Since then, there have been discussions on the issue.

Referring to the new Constitution, Erdoğan said today, "A new and historic duty is awaiting the Parliament", arguing that the new Constitıtion will "create a real environment of freedom" in the country.

"As the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), our partner in the People's Alliance, has welcomed this offer, God willing, Turkey will find the opportunity to draft a civilian Constitution for the first time in its history and to offer it to its nation in a real environment of freedom," said Erdoğan.

Indicating that the new Constitution will "reflect the power of the national will," Erdoğan further argued that the Constitution will also "crown the goals set for the centennial year of the Republic" in 2023.

'This issue cannot be solved with "patches"'

Further in his speech, President Erdoğan also referred to the period leading up to Turkey's transition from the Parliamentary system to the "Presidential Government System", which was approved in a referendum on April 16, 2016 and entered into force on July 9, 2018.

"While we were working on the Presidential Government System, we saw that we were always confronted with this issue of Constitution," said Erdoğan and briefly added: "We also witnessed it while our Justice Ministry was preparing the judicial reform. With every step we took, we were faced with the fact that this issue could not be solved with patches."

'Conditions are quite suitable'

Noting that "Turkey has broken the power of tutelage and given a clear message for the intentions of coup", Erdoğan noted that "conditions are quite suitable for discussing and drafting a new Constitution."

He also underlined that "constitutions need to be supported by society as a whole, if possible" and added, "We prefer that all political parties take part in this process. We will make all sincere efforts for this."

Call to political parties, academia, media

Further in his speech, Erdoğan briefly said:

"With the Human Rights Action Plan that we will declare soon, we will offer a general framework about the new Constitution.

"I would like to make a call from here to our political parties, academics, universities, civil society organizations, press members and all our people of intellect and action. Let's come and prepare our proposals about the new Constitution this year and start discussing them.

"Let's share these proposals with our nation without excluding anyone. Let's welcome the centennial year of our Republic not with the Constitution of a coup, but with a new and civilian Constitution.

"We, as the People's Alliance, are determined to offer the most constructive contribution to the new Constitution works. The final decision will be given by our nation." (AS/SD)