Charter draft will result in second-class parliament: CHP head

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said the proposed amendments on the constitution will make the parliament and ineffective and “second-class” one. 

“This parliament is one that has been formed after the War of Independence. This parliament is the parliament of the July 15 coup attempt. Now this parliament is becoming a second class parliament. Ask our citizens if their conscience is accepting it? My conscience, neither my morality, nor my belief, nor my democratic values accept this,” Kılıçdaroğlu said Feb. 5 at a meeting addressing his party’s province and district chairs. 

“The parliament will be out of touch with the people. Increasing the number of lawmakers in parliament from 550 to 600 is senseless,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu likened the draft charter to Syria’s current constitution and said it would submit all powers from the current parliamentarian one and give all the authorities to a one-man regime. 

He stressed that the matter should not be considered as a party-oriented one. “This is not about a party, but it’s about coexistence, flag, homeland and democracy,” he said, adding that his party members should refrain from marginalizing anyone. 

“Whoever they are, if democracy is vital to them, it doesn’t matter who they are,” he said. 

He urged his party supporters to talk with people about the constitutional amendments in an ethical manner and not quarrel with them.  

He wanted party members to ask citizens what changes these amendments would bring and solve. 

Kılıçdaroğlu criticized the government of not informing the public during parliamentary voting sessions on the charter draft, saying that the sessions were not broadcasted on TV for people to watch. 

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) members had revealed their intentions to change the four initial articles of the charter during the constitution discussions, he said.

MHP to hold meeting 

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, has decided to hold an extraordinary meeting in the Central Anatolian province of Konya between Feb. 10 and 12 in order to discuss the upcoming referendum process. The decision was announced by MHP deputy chair Semih Yalçın.