Turkey's new charter to have article on domestic violence

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Parliamentary Constitution Conciliation Commission member Mustafa Şentop of the ruling Justice and Development Party speaks at a conference. DHA photo

While the Parliamentary Constitution Conciliation Commission introduced constitutional assurances against domestic violence, it also concluded the article about political party memberships.

In its Friday meeting, the Parliamentary Constitution Conciliation Commission introduced a constitutional guarantee against domestic violence under the article “The right to marry and form a family.” The clause “The state protects children and women against domestic violence and prevents girls from being married at an early age and by force” was added to the article.

The commission, at the same meeting, also discussed the “Freedom to sign up for political parties.” The commission restricted the professions that are not allowed to be members of political parties as “judges and prosecutors, members of the armed forces, members of security forces, head and members of Court of Accounts and top local administrators.” There was no restriction on the members of the National Intelligence organization (MİT). The ban on university students was also lifted.

The commission changed the article in the current Constitution which banned memberships for political parties for public employees. The commission has agreed on which professions to be banned from becoming members of political parties.

When the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) lifted its reservation of members of MİT becoming members of political parties, MİT members become free to sign up in political parties. The ban on university students has also been lifted. Students will be able to sign up for political parties. Ahmet İyimaya from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) opposed to the amendment which was done by the consensus of three parties, saying, “For public employees to be members of political parties may cause them to act partisan while serving.”

The commission also reached an agreement on financial aid to political parties. For a party to receive financial aid, it has to have received at least 1 percent of the valid votes in the last general elections.