Public expectations in Türkiye for a new civilian constitution have reached an all-time high, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said on May 15, pledging that efforts for the charter would remain at the top of the government’s agenda.
“The current constitution has effectively lost its functionality. It poses serious risks in terms of the construction and preservation of the state and the future of our nation,” Gürlek said during a visit to the governor’s office in the central province of Kayseri.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have long criticized the existing constitution because of its origins in the 1980 military coup.
Adopting a new constitution would require the backing of at least 400 lawmakers in parliament in order to pass without a referendum. The AKP-led ruling alliance currently controls 322 seats, while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has so far remained reluctant to cooperate on drafting a new charter.
“The Turkish nation’s expectation for a new and civilian constitution has now reached its peak,” Gürlek said.
With a new constitution, Türkiye can attain a superior legal framework capable of simultaneously safeguarding the rule of law, democracy, the state and the nation, the justice minister said.
“We will continue to keep this issue at the forefront of our reform agenda, above all forms of political arithmetic and calculations,” he added.
The justice minister also announced that new operations targeting organized crime networks would continue in the coming period.
