Panel accelerates charter process amid brawls between AKP, CHP MPs

Parliament's constitution committee has abandoned discussion on articles of a proposed amendment after ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) MPs' proposal to accelerate the process was accepted, prompting a brawl with members of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which was irked by the move.

The brawl between AKP and CHP lawmakers broke out on the fifth day of the debates on Dec. 24 after AKP lawmakers Cengiz Aydoğdu, Zekeriya Birkan and Adem Yeşildal submitted a proposal declaring that the negotiations were sufficient so as to accelerate the process by ending discussion on the entirety of the charter and moving on to a discussion of the individual items.

When the chair accepted the proposal, CHP Group Deputy Chair Engin Altay and CHP lawmakers protested the decision, saying they were unable to express their views on the entirety of the bill.

"Even I, as a group deputy chairperson, could not express my opinion on the whole charter. What you have done is banditry," Altay said.

The quarrel grew intense when AKP lawmaker Kemalettin Yılmaztekin shouted and smashed his fist onto a desk, prompting Altay to throw a water bottle at Yılmaztekin. When the verbal altercation accelerated, Şentop, the chair, warned the members of the parliament to remain calm and approved the proposal, saying the discussion process had taken too long.

The commission commenced discussing the articles of the constitutional offer, but the CHP lawmakers continued to oppose the process.

Bülent Tezcan, a CHP lawmaker, said that around 120 lawmakers had requested to speak on the entirety of the bill and that accelerating the process was unacceptable in such conditions.

"You cannot pass on to the items without even considering the...