İYİ Party statement on AKP's 'new constitution' remarks: More than 130 articles have already been changed

Evaluating the "new constitution" statements by AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, İYİ Party Secretary General Osman Ertürk Özel emphasized that Turkey ranks at the bottom of rule of law indices, stating, "The real issue is not that our current constitution was written by coup plotters, but that there is no security of law and justice in the country."

"More than 130 articles of the current constitution have already been changed"

Stating that they are closely following the remarks of both Erdoğan and Gürlek, Osman Ertürk Özel said, "Both figures are implying a coup against the Constitution and are expressing that the Constitution has lost its function, that it is a product of a coup, and that this does not suit our country. Our issue is essentially not that our Constitution is a product of a coup. Because our current Constitution has undergone very serious changes 4 or 5 times since 1982," he said.

Stating that more than 130 articles of the current Constitution have been changed since 1982, Özel said, "Look, if there is an issue in this country, if there is a problem of law and justice, the reason for this is not that our current Constitution was made by coup plotters, but that there is no security of law and justice in the country."

Turkey ranks 118th out of 142 countries

Arguing that there is a rule of law problem in Turkey, Özel said, "Look at all the rule of law indices; according to the latest data, we are in 118th place out of 142 countries. In such a country, finding the solution to problems in making a new constitution seems a bit absurd to me."

"The government does not even comply with the current constitution"

Saying that one of the points that should be drawn attention to is that the government does not even comply with the current Constitution, Özel said, "This government does not recognize the decisions of the Constitutional Court either. At times, together with its partner, it even openly expresses that the Constitutional Court should be closed. Expecting a constitution to be made by this government that is inclusive and, in their words, that all people call 'my constitution' requires a detachment from reality," he said.

"We are in an economic crisis and a process of betrayal"

Asking, "Why is this agenda constantly being warmed up and brought before us?" Özel said, "Because we are in an economic crisis that is very difficult to hide, we are in a process of betrayal. The new constitution debate is being brought before us so that these two processes can be hidden by the government."

Özel summarized his party's stance on the new constitution with the following words: "As the İYİ Party, our position is this: We can make a new constitution, but we will absolutely and definitely not consolidate an authoritarian regime. We want to return to the parliamentary system, and the unchangeable articles of our current Constitution are our indispensable red line."

News Source: 12punto