Turkish prime minister says no bargaining on new constitution
There will be no bargaining over a new constitution for Turkey which could enhance the powers of the president and the government will seek to put the matter to a referendum, the prime minister said on March 6.
The ruling AKP party will have the support of all its 317 deputies for a new charter and will look for an additional 13 votes from the opposition that are needed to take the draft to a referendum, Ahmet Davutoglu said in an interview with broadcaster A Haber.
A cross-party commission charged with drafting a new constitution collapsed last month after the main opposition pulled out over attempts by the AKP to change Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system.
"All 317 AK Party lawmakers will do what's necessary. The constitution is not up for bargaining, it's a matter of principles," Davutoglu said. "We will find the 330 (votes) and take it to a referendum. Our people will have a constitution embraced by all, and the (current) charter will be consigned."
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Senior AKP officials told Reuters last week that the party was working on its own proposals despite the opposition's resistance, plans which could hand President Tayyip Erdogan powers to draft legislation directly and pick ministers.
The AKP has broad support for overhauling the constitution, which dates back to the period after the 1980 military coup and has been repeatedly amended. But there are wide divergences over what a new charter should look like.
Erdogan wants the charter to transform the presidency from largely ceremonial to an executive post with expansive powers.
