Turkey’s President reaffirmed his commitment to drafting a new constitution on Tuesday, just days after he had asserted that he does not intend to seek another term in office. Recep Tayyip Erdogan also praised Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (#DEM Party# ) for adopting “a responsible tone” on the issue.
The state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as stating, We are determined to add a new constitution to the inventory of our dear nation,” that will “serve as proof that Turkish politics has matured.”
The Turkish president announced that he has “assigned 10 legal experts to begin their work, and with this effort, we will proceed with the preparations for the new constitution.”
“For 23 years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our sincere intention to crown our democracy with a new civilian and libertarian constitution,” he stressed.
Erdogan, who heads Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), has led Turkey for 22 years - first as prime minister from 2003, then as president since 2014.
The current constitution allows presidents to serve a maximum of two terms but permits a third run only if early elections are called during the second term. Unless the constitution is amended or early elections are held, Erdogan cannot run again.
On Thursday, he reaffirmed that he does not intend to seek re-election, noting, “We want the new constitution not for ourselves, but our country.”
Highlighting his collaboration with Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Erdogan stressed their joint efforts toward a terror-free Turkey, which he said would advance the nation’s diplomacy, economy, and freedoms.
Importantly, on Friday, Bahceli had urged Erdogan to seek re-election despite the current constitutional ban.
A 2017 referendum granted Erdogan expanded powers but maintained the two-term limit. To hold another referendum, he would need support from at least 360 of the 600-member parliament. Currently, he has backing from 321 legislators, including MHP members. Securing 400 votes would allow a direct constitutional amendment.
On Tuesday as well, Erdogan encouraged all political parties in Turkey to take part in the process, emphasizing that “the DEM Party has adopted a very responsible tone on this issue.”
The DEM Party has long advocated for a new constitution. In late March, DEM Party MP Salihe Aydeniz told Rudaw, “The current constitution does not represent all people nor does it acknowledge all languages,” referring to Kurdish among others.
The party has also gained prominence recently for mediating peace efforts between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), aiming to resolve the decades-long conflict that has claimed around 40,000 lives.
Some analysts argue that Erdogan’s push to mend fences with the PKK is partially geared to garner Kurdish support for re-election.[1]