The first agenda item of 2025 in the Turkish Parliament has been determined: Numan Kurtulmuş will begin visits

With budget negotiations behind it, the focus in the Turkish Parliament has shifted to work on a new constitution.

It has been learned that the second round of negotiations for the constitution will begin in the new year, 2025.

According to TRT Haber, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş had requested contributions from the parties regarding the process and methodology during the first round of talks. The agenda for the second round includes addressing the procedures and principles for the content of the new constitution.

The parties' preparations on this matter will also be evaluated. Concrete steps will be taken immediately after the new year.

AKP WILL CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS

The AKP will begin the second round of negotiations with its alliance partner, the MHP. Afterward, meetings will be held with parties that have groups in Parliament as well as those that do not.

The AKP will continue to organize constitutional workshops outside of Parliament. The presentations and reports from these workshops will be evaluated during the new constitution process.

If a consensus is reached following the meetings with political parties, a joint commission will be established in Parliament.

WHAT HAD KURTULMUŞ SAID ABOUT THE NEW CONSTITUTION NEGOTIATIONS?

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş had used the following expressions regarding the new constitution negotiations: "The most correct path is to finish it in a short time, well-planned and without rushing, in a way that will not extend over many years."

Kurtulmuş had noted the following:

"I visited in the first round. Some of the parties came to us. I met with everyone. There are 14 parties in Parliament. One party, a party represented in Parliament, said we are not part of these views. Therefore, we have had contact with all 13 parties represented in Parliament, excluding them. But before this contact, it must be stated clearly.

I am speaking about these 13 parties in Turkey. All of them have either used the term 'new constitution' or proposed a radical constitutional amendment in their election manifestos, party programs, or party texts. Therefore, the issue of 'let's change the constitution' is neither my personal issue nor the issue of any single party alone."

HE SAID "THEY DID NOT CLOSE THE DOOR COMPLETELY" AND POINTED TO THE CHP

All political parties have demonstrated in the past that Turkey needs to get rid of the 12 September constitution and that efforts should be made to create a new, democratic constitution. Therefore, this stands as an important piece of data in our hands. Secondly, in these first-round meetings, yes, there were parties that criticized. There were parties that criticized government practices in particular on some issues. Even, since they said it in front of the public, I will say it: they said 'first comply with the constitution, then let's discuss the constitution.' Despite all this, they did not close the door completely.

They had not closed it. Of course, other things got in the way. We were thinking of starting in October, but hopefully, after these budget negotiations are finished after the new year, we will make an effort to bring the parties together again.

Turkey needs a constitution that is libertarian, inclusive, democratic, that undoubtedly sets forth the principle of separation of powers, and that progresses by reinforcing the principle of the rule of law. There has been much debate about the language of this constitution and about it having many articles. I have never spoken about the content of the constitution until today, especially so as not to block the path of discussions.

"THE MOST CORRECT PATH IS TO FINISH IT IN A SHORT TIME"

Only how it will be done, it must be done on the right ground. This right ground is the Turkish Parliament. And of course, we will take the views of all segments of society. Universities, the academic world, the legal world, NGOs.

I never, ever want to turn this into a political party polemic. Because we know that a constitution cannot be the constitution of one party. It cannot be the constitution of a few parties. A constitution is the constitution of the nation.

I hope that with this well-intentioned working environment, if there is a positive approach from the parties, we can continue these efforts by opening it up to Turkey and starting the legislative process in Parliament with the new legislative year of 2025 next year, which we had in mind to start in October but now as of the end of the year.

I think the most correct path is to finish it in a short time, well-planned and without rushing, in a way that will not extend over many years, without spreading it out too much."