Parliament speaker meets MHP leader for new constituion

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has paid a visit to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli as part of his efforts to promote joint parliamentary action for writing a new civilian and libertarian constitution.

Kurtulmuş and Bahçeli met at the parliament on May 14. Kurtulmuş is touring the political parties represented at the parliament on the eve of a new process for the new constitution.

"We had a very beneficial and fruitful meeting with Mr. Bahçeli," Kurtulmuş said in a brief statement following the meeting. Bahçeli has already voiced his support to the calls by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is also the chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), for the new charter.

Erdoğan called on all political parties to take part in efforts to get rid of the current constitution whose backbone was written by the junta leaders following the 1980 coup d'état.

Kurtulmuş has already visited the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the İYİ (Good) Party, the Felicity Party and the Democratic Equality Party (DEM).

Earlier in the day, Kurtulmuş hosted Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk in his office, stressing that the war between Ukraine and Russia is creating a huge humanitarian toll.

"This war, if prolongs, has the potential to turn into a war between Russia and the West," he said, expressing his concerns that it can trigger a third World War and threaten global peace.