Constitution

Debates on the constitutional amendments have started in parliament. Surveys have shown that 36 percent of citizens who will vote in a possible referendum have "no information" about the constitutional change. The rate of those who say they have "very little" knowledge is 28 percent and those who say they have "a little" knowledge total 14 percent. 

Jan. 9 marked yet another historic day in Turkey's political history, as parliament began debating a controversial constitutional amendment package that shifts the country's governance system to an executive presidency. 

The Turkish Parliament voted late on Monday night to change the constitution of the country. The proposed changes envisage greater power for the president, announced bTV.

338 out of a total of 480 deputies supported a debate and changes to the basic law.

An ongoing debate in Turkey's parliament on a proposed new charter violates the current constitution and universal law, People's Democracy Party (HDP) lawmaker Mithat Sancar has said, demanding constitutional talks be halted until imprisoned HDP lawmakers are freed.

The foundations for the new Constitution were laid already in 1998, with what is termed the writers' constitution, a document drawn up under the leadership of the Slovenian Writers' Association.

The initiative was picked up by the DEMOS coalition of parties, which presented in March 1990 its own version which drew strongly on the writers' document.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) took the statutory decrees (KHK) that were issued during the state of emergency to court, but the Constitutional Court rejected the case. I was waiting for the justified decision to be printed to criticize the decision. 

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault had a short and mildly toned discussion on the "state of emergency," known as OHAL in Turkey.

Commenting on the TV licences to radio station Praktorio 104.9 FM, State Minister Nikos Pappas on Tuesday said: “We are awaiting the decisions. Meanwhile, we are moving ahead according as planned. The tender has been completed, and it has brought a larger than expected sum to the state revenues.

In the delta of vested interests and corruption, a marshland where triangular relationships rule the roost, democracy could never lead a life without peril. This is where democracy ends up shrinking and sinking; where it is held to ransom and manipulated. This is where its constitutions and laws end up nothing more than empty, fragile shells.

The review of the Constitution is an extremely important process and should not be debased by becoming the subject of PR stunts and cheap boasts.

Judging by the way the matter has been dealt with so far, it appears that yet another opportunity to make some fundamental changes for the better will be allowed to go to waste.