He had said 'I have assigned 10 of my legal expert friends': The file on Erdoğan's 'new constitution team'

Following the call by MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli that initiated the new opening process—which the government calls a 'Terror-Free Turkey'—and the subsequent announcement by the terrorist organization PKK regarding laying down arms and dissolution, the new constitution has been brought to Turkey's agenda.

Although he lacks the authority to draft a constitution, AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated at his party's Extended Provincial Heads Meeting held in Ankara that he had assigned '10 legal expert' friends for the new constitution.

The names assigned by Erdoğan were first announced to the public by the Sabah newspaper, known for its proximity to the government, and the Anadolu Agency largely confirmed this list. However, slight differences were noted in the lists provided by both media outlets.

WHO ARE THE ASSIGNED ‘LEGAL EXPERT FRIENDS’?

According to the pro-government Sabah newspaper, the following names are among Erdoğan's "legal expert friends":

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, AKP Deputy Chairmen Mustafa Elitaş and Efkan Âlâ, AKP Group Chairman in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Abdullah Güler, Group Deputy Chairmen Özlem Zengin and Bahadır Yenişehirlioğlu, Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik, Deputy Chairmen Hayati Yazıcı and Ali İhsan Yavuz, and Antalya MP Serap Yazıcı Özbudun.

However, while Özbudun's name does not appear in the Anadolu Agency report, the name of AKP Group Deputy Chairman Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu is included instead.

THEIR PAST SHEDS LIGHT ON THE FUTURE

According to the report compiled by Evrensel, the stances these individuals have displayed in the past regarding the constitution and law provide clues as to what kind of "new constitution" process lies ahead.

Cevdet Yılmaz: KNOWN FOR HIS LOYALTY TO THE MTP

Vice President Yılmaz stands out particularly for his commitment to the Medium-Term Program (MTP). During a period when economic crises are deepening and the public is struggling with the cost of living, Yılmaz turned a deaf ear to public reactions in his statement on April 5, saying, "We are committed to the Medium-Term Program, there is no problem."

Furthermore, he had used the following expressions regarding criticisms of the judiciary:

"If you do not like the decision rendered, you can resolve it through other mechanisms. Just as in every field, there can be mistakes and shortcomings in law. We are making reforms because there are shortcomings."

MUSTAFA ELİTAŞ: CONSIDERS SEEKING RIGHTS ON THE STREET AS ‘LOOTING’

Mustafa Elitaş, one of the influential figures of the AKP, is remembered for his remarks belittling the public's right to protest. By saying, "Seeking a solution on the street is the work of looters," he had openly targeted the crowds reacting to the detention of İmamoğlu.

Elitaş also opposed the Constitutional Court's (AYM) ruling on Can Atalay and supported the neutralization of Constitutional Court decisions by saying, "It is not right to wait for results in Parliament."

EFKAN ÂLÂ: PUTS A CONSTITUTION, NOT A SOLUTION, ON THE TABLE

Efkan Âlâ, who played an active role in the first opening process and was one of the architects of the Dolmabahçe Consensus, stated that the "solution process" is now closed, saying, "There is no solution process on our table. That was done before, it is a closed chapter."

ABDULLAH GÜLER: THE NAME WHO WANTS TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE

Parliamentary Group Chairman Abdullah Güler had drawn attention with his statements bringing up the possibility of raising the retirement age to 70. Stating, "This is important in terms of sustainability," Güler faced intense reactions from citizens.

ÖZLEM ZENGİN: LABELED STRIP-SEARCH ALLEGATIONS AS ‘SLANDER’

The 750 thousand TL compensation lawsuit filed by Özlem Zengin against DEM Party's Gergerlioğlu became the center of the debate over strip-searches allegedly practiced in prisons. Her claim that Gergerlioğlu was "not of sound mind" and her use of the term "slander" drew great public backlash.

BAHADIR YENİŞEHİRLİOĞLU: ARCHITECT OF THE ‘MASSACRE LAW’

Yenişehirlioğlu had come to the agenda with the regulation concerning stray dogs. Yenişehirlioğlu, who is the drafter of this law, which is described by the public as the "massacre law," also created controversy with his Rolex watch worth 562 thousand TL.

Ali İhsan Yavuz: ‘EVEN IF NOTHING HAPPENED, SOMETHING HAPPENED’

Known for his statement, "If nothing happened, we say that something definitely happened," during the cancellation process of the 2019 local elections, Yavuz is remembered for his remarks that paved the way for the rerun of the election.

MUHAMMET EMİN AKBAŞOĞLU: NOT VERY GOOD WITH NUMBERS

Akbaşoğlu had become the subject of ridicule on social media both for his incorrect economic calculations and his minimum wage calculation based on tea and simit. His words, "So, 1120 liras remain in your pocket. We did the math, my dear," were criticized by broad segments of society.

TRANSFER MP Serap Yazıcı ÖZBUDUN

Constitutional law professor Özbudun had recently resigned from the Future Party and joined the AKP the very next day. This sudden transition of Özbudun, whose AKP badge was pinned on by Erdoğan himself, led to criticisms of her being a "transfer MP."