Turkish parliament set for opening with packed agenda

ANKARA

(AA Photo)

Türkiye’s parliament will begin its new legislative year on Oct. 1 following a 51-day recess, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan scheduled to address lawmakers at the opening session.

The day’s proceedings will begin with a ceremony at the monument dedicated to modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk within the parliament complex.

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş will lay a wreath at the monument, followed by a moment of silence and the national anthem.

Following the ceremony, the General Assembly will convene under Kurtulmuş’s chairmanship.

After delivering opening remarks, Kurtulmuş will introduce Erdoğan to the chamber, after which the national anthem will be performed. Erdoğan will then address lawmakers.

The traditional reception hosted by the parliament speaker to mark the opening of the legislative year will also be held in the evening, with Kurtulmuş serving as host.

The General Assembly is expected to hold its first working session of the new legislative year on Oct. 6, as lawmakers will face a packed agenda in the new legislative year.

A parliamentary monitoring commission is expected to be established following the reopening of parliament to closely oversee the implementation of the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative.

The initiative is aimed at ending PKK terrorism in Türkiye. As part of the process, the PKK announced its dissolution and said it had laid down its arms.

On Aug. 10, parliament passed the bill on “Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion,” prepared as part of the initiative.

The legislation was approved after approximately 12 hours of debate, with 468 lawmakers voting in favor, 88 against and six abstaining.

The bill establishes procedures for suspending investigations, prosecutions, convictions and related legal proceedings once authorities determine that the PKK/KCK terrorist organizations and affiliated groups have ceased their activities and surrendered their weapons.

The first bill expected to be debated by the lawmakers is a law proposal on the Turkish Red Crescent, which was submitted to parliament during the previous legislative year but could not be taken up due to the heavy parliamentary agenda.

The nine-article proposal sets out provisions concerning the Turkish Red Crescent’s duties and powers, as well as its rights and exemptions.

Another proposal expected to be debated would pave the way for the return of Booking, a digital accommodation platform that has been blocked in Türkiye for nine years. The bill would introduce a certification requirement for accommodation platforms and require them to appoint a local representative.

A sweeping judicial is also expected to be submitted to the Turkish parliament in October.
The package is reportedly set to include legislation that would end indefinite alimony payments following divorce, as well as a measure requiring users to provide identity information when accessing social media platforms.

Türkiye’s Constitutional Court on June 4 annulled the provision allowing indefinite alimony payments to divorced spouses, marking a significant ruling after years of debate.

Indefinite alimony has long been a contentious issue in Türkiye. Critics argue that lifetime payments, particularly following short marriages, can place a disproportionate financial burden on former spouses by allowing obligations to continue without a fixed time limit.