Crack in the People's Alliance: MHP uneasy with 'independent Constitution' efforts

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's call for a 'new constitution' has sparked polemics between the government and the opposition.

"MHP IS NOT HAPPY WITH INDEPENDENT CONSTITUTION EFFORTS"

Gazete Pencere columnist Nuray Babacan shared behind-the-scenes information regarding the new constitution debates. In her article titled "Uneasy stirrings in the MHP... New Constitution confusion," Babacan reported the following: "According to what we have learned, the People's Alliance partner MHP is not very happy with these 'independent' constitutional efforts by the party. They are reportedly uncomfortable with the party's recent Constitution symposium."

Babacan wrote, "It is stated that they are not only displeased with the approach and understanding there, but are also complaining, saying, 'We prepared and gave them a proposal package, and not only did they not take it into account, but there is no reference to it at all.' Let us also add that the MHP leadership is not very fond of the team conducting legal work at the Presidency and their perspective."

Assessing the situation, Babacan continued her article: "There are even those within the party who criticize it by saying, 'If we ask, what is missing in this Constitution? What kind of deficiency will your regulation fix, there is no answer to be given.' The opposition, on the other hand, does not trust the Constitution that the AKP will prepare at all, and thinks that the issue is about 'distracting the agenda and drawing attention elsewhere.'" She continued her article as follows:

"The only interesting approach would be the proposal to lower the presidential election threshold to 40 plus 1, but such an approach, which would completely eliminate the need for the MHP, would first fail to get approval from the alliance partner. Furthermore, the team that created the Presidential Government System within the party objects, saying, 'It will cease to be a presidential system.' In the end, the matter may regress to a small package that only includes the headscarf. That, too, could be accepted with the votes of the parties that the CHP brought to Parliament..."

News Source: 12punto