Ruling AKP ready to adopt 59 charter articles with CHP

ANKARA

DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is ready to adopt 59 constitutional articles that have received the consensus of the four parties in the Constitution Conciliation Commission, according to deputy parliamentary group chair Mustafa Elitaş, in response to the main opposition leader’s earlier challenge.

“We are in favor of this proposal. But is this proposal the view of Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu, or his party? We have to see the sincerity of Kılıçdaroğlu,” Elitaş told reporters on Oct. 7 in Parliament, downplaying Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s proposal and alluding to the possible rift within the main opposition over the Constitution. 

Acceding to a call by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Kılıçdaroğlu recently voiced his party’s readiness to vote at Parliament on the 59 articles that have received the consensus of the four parties in the Constitution Conciliation Commission.
 
Speaking to reporters on Oct. 5, the CHP head was reminded of Erdoğan’s remarks delivered early last week. Erdoğan said the AKP was so “reconciliatory” that it was ready for the parliamentary adoption of the 59 articles, and claimed that the opposition was always creating excuses and was merely buying time.
 
“If the parties represented at Parliament reach a consensus on 59, 60 or 65 articles and brings them to the floor then we will accept them,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, noting that there was already a consensus on 59 articles.

If the other opposition parties at the Commission - the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) - favor the proposal, Parliament could pass 59 articles within 15 days, according to AKP Vice Chairman Mustafa Şentop. However, the ruling party should first debate the issue at its Central Executive Board (MYK), Şentop added.