The government's strategy for the constitution has changed

A significant strategy change has been adopted in the issue of Turkey's new constitution. Previously, the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) had accelerated constitution works and was planning to hold a referendum in September. A new constitution was going to be written in April and May; it would be submitted to parliament in June or July, and a public debate would simultaneously be opened. 

For the new constitution, an accelerated calendar had been envisaged. But this strategy has now changed. It has now been decided not to rush, and instead to spread the process out over time.

This decision was taken by President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu. "The new constitution will be left to mature," they said. It is the joint will of the president and the prime minister to allow the new constitution to mature. 

There has not been even a slight deviation from the government's determination on the new constitution and the presidential system. Both the President's Office and the AK Parti are absolutely certain and determined on the subject of the new constitution. 

With the new constitution, the AK Parti is claiming that it aims to replace the Sept. 12, 1980 coup constitution with a civilian constitution. 

It also knows that the new constitution has to be adopted by wide segments of society. The AK Parti is aiming to write the new constitution together with the nation. For this, it wants each section of the charter to be thoroughly debated by legal experts, intellectuals, artists, NGOs and the public. To that end, Prime Minister Davuto?lu will get together with academics, intellectuals, artists and NGOs. He has already met five different legal groups with various different views. 

When the aim...