HDP says ready to join new charter work, urges ‘road cleaning’ first

ANKARA

AA Photo

A co-leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has declared his party’s willingness to take part in a parliamentary panel to draft a new constitution, but underlined that some measures should first be taken to enable thee party to freely argue its opinions, particularly on autonomy.

“We will seek conciliation in the name of peace in the Constitution Conciliation Commission,” HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş said Jan. 24 during a regular convention of his party held in Ankara.

“We will seek conciliation there based upon the mandate that you have given. A new constitution is possible in an environment of free debate. The road we walk on should not be mined. It should be clear. Without undertaking road cleaning, how will we be able to make a new constitution without knowing what we will face in each step?” Demirtaş asked, referring to the fact that legal action has been taken against a number of HDP executives, including himself, and the other co-chair, Figen Yüksekdağ, for their remarks in support of autonomy.

During the convention, delegates re-elected Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ as co-chairs.