Ankara –
Turkey hinted at a new constitutional change under the administration of the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Many are surprised by Erdogan’s gesture, but a number of his coalition partners have given their full support.
As reported AFP, Wednesday (3/2/2021), the call also sparked speculation that Erdogan is looking for ways to extend his rule.
After chairing a cabinet meeting for 4 hours, Erdogan put forward the idea of a new constitution to replace the old constitution used by Turkey since 1982. The constitution was drafted after a military coup in 1980.
Since 2002, Erdogan has led Turkey as President Minister or President. This enabled him to successfully strengthen his control over a country of 83 million people and survive a failed coup attempt.
In 2017, he pushed for changes to the Turkish Constitution that created an executive presidency and removed the post of Prime Minister.
In 2018, Erdogan won the presidential election which was the first of his two five-year terms under the amended constitution. Turkey will hold parliamentary and presidential elections again in June 2023. That means Erdogan’s rule will end in 2028 if he is re-elected.
In his statement, Erdogan said that Turkey’s old constitution had been a “source of trouble”. He will push for a constitutional assembly if his junior counterpart in the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) supports the rewriting of Turkey’s Constitution.
“It is clear that the source of Turkey’s problem is the constitution which is always written by the rebels. Maybe it is time for Turkey to reopen the debate over a new constitution,” Erdogan said in a statement broadcast nationally on Monday (1/2) local time.
“If we reach an understanding with our partners (the ruling coalition), we can take action for a new constitution in the future,” said Erdogan.
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