News

Adopting presidential system to be top structural reform: PM Yıldırım

Oct 17 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet Daily News

The adoption of a presidential system in Turkey will be a “key structural reform,” Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has argued, saying the system was needed for lasting stability, continued development, growth, strong government, national unity and brotherhood across the country.

Turkey’s main opposition divided over lifting of MPs’ immunities

Apr 15 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet Daily News

Cracks have emerged within the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) over a decision to lend support to a government proposal on a provisional change in the constitution that would allow parliament to lift the immunities of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers and others for one time only.

US human rights report slams Turkey over freedoms, justice system and security

Apr 14 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet Daily News

The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released annually by the U.S. State Department, has provided a snapshot of the deteriorating human rights environment in Turkey, stressing that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government’s interference with freedom of expression, arbitrary application of laws and inadequate protection of civilians in the country’s southeast pose great threats to civil rights and liberties. 

CHP, HDP demand redefinition of charter panel mandate

Feb 12 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The mandate of the parliamentary panel tasked with rewriting the constitution should also include an overall democratization process for Turkey, two of the country’s opposition parties have said. 

“The demand to redefine the mandate of the commission is our joint demand with the CHP [Republican People’s Party]. The commission should not only be tasked to re-write the constitution but to initiate a comprehensive democratization process and to become part of these efforts,” Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Mithat Sancar, a member of the panel, told reporters late Feb. 10. 

Electing both president and PM ‘unsustainable’: Erdoğan

Jan 29 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The current parliamentary system in Turkey is out of date and the existing situation, in which both the prime minister and president are elected by the people, is unsustainable, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated, emphasizing his wish to hold a referendum over a new constitution and a transition to a presidential system while calling on civil society organizations and media to launch a grassroots campaign to this aim.

Turkish deputy PM rules out early election talk

Jan 22 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has dismissed hearsay suggesting it intended to hold a new snap election, while arguing that such a move would sabotage the potential offered by “four years of uninterrupted service.”

Comments by Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş on Jan. 20 followed reports claiming the AKP would initiate an early election if it failed to gain support from the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) on constitutional amendments which would pave the way for the country’s transition into a presidential system.

Kılıçdaroğlu re-elected as CHP eyes new era with new faces

Jan 18 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was re-elected as chair of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for his fourth consecutive term at his the party’s convention over the weekend, saying he aimed to renew the CHP’s management with “more new and young faces.” 

Kılıçdaroğlu received the votes of 990 delegates out of 1,238, running alone as his sole contender İzmir deputy Mustafa Balbay failed to garner the required number of signatures to be a candidate. 

Turkey academics held 'for criticism of army offensive'

Jan 15 2016
Turkey
Source: 
BBC

Turkish police have detained at least 18 academics who signed a petition criticising military operations in the largely Kurdish south-east.

Fifteen were later released after questioning, the state-run Anadolu agency reported.

The academics are accused of engaging in "terrorist propaganda" and insulting the state.

But the detentions have rekindled concerns about freedom of expression in Turkey, analysts say.

MHP names members for charter panel with hopes of strengthening parliamentary system

Jan 13 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has named three lawmakers to represent the party in a parliamentary commission to be tasked with drafting a new constitution, with party leader Devlet Bahçeli underlining their aspirations of strengthening the current parliamentary system.

But Parliamentary Speaker İsmail Kahraman voiced his support for a transition from the current parliamentary system to a presidential system. 

We had no media support during elections: HDP

Jan 11 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The leader of the Kurdish-problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has said the party had no support from media organizations during the run-up periods of both June and November 2015 parliamentary elections, daily Hürriyet has reported.

“We never got positive support from any media organizations on June 7 nor Nov. 1, including the Doğan Media Group. There was not any agreement and relationship built upon mutual interest,” said HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş on Jan. 10, speaking at his party’s city conference at a wedding hall in Istanbul’s Çağlayan neighborhood.

President Erdoğan says press freedom not unlimited

Jan 10 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Todays Zaman

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a statement on Friday to mark Working Journalists Day and said a country’s democracy is as strong as the extent to which its media and journalists are free to do their jobs, but added that exercising that the ability to exercise that freedom should not be construed as constituting exemption from responsibilities.

Turkey’s parliament speaker preparing for new charter talks

Jan 08 2016
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

Turkish Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman said on Jan. 8 he would head the conciliation commission and send letters to party leaders, foreseeing that a new constitution would likely be issued.

“I will head the conciliation commission and the commission will determine its working principles itself. I think that a new constitution will be issued,” said Kahraman during a press conference, adding he would send letters to the leaders of all four parties in the Turkish parliament.

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