DEM Party Diyarbakır MP Cengiz Çandar stated that the deciding factor in any potential discussion regarding support for AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's re-candidacy would be a commitment to constitutional change.
Speaking to Rudaw, Çandar specifically pointed to Article 42 of the Constitution, which regulates the right to education, and Article 66, which contains the definition of citizenship. Çandar indicated that the situation could be evaluated if a promise of change is made regarding these topics.
"If they promise a constitutional amendment that removes the obstacles blocking education in one's mother tongue, as I said, Articles 42 and 66, then the situation will be looked at."
Stating that the arithmetic of Parliament would be important for Erdoğan to be able to run for office once again, Çandar expressed that whether or not the DEM Party is needed would be the deciding factor. Noting that Erdoğan highlighted "a Turkey without terror" and a "new constitution" in his opening speech to Parliament, Çandar remarked that for the DEM Party, this process could only gain meaning through concrete steps.
Stating that there is a lack of public trust regarding the second opening process, referred to as a Turkey without terror, Çandar noted that certain steps are important to resolve this. In this context, Çandar touched upon the situation of Selahattin Demirtaş and the practice of appointing trustees, bringing up the example of Ahmet Türk.
Responding to a question regarding the role of Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the terrorist organization PKK, in the process, Çandar said he found Devlet Bahçeli's approach—that Öcalan should take a role with a certain status—to be "consistent." Çandar stated that there is information suggesting Öcalan could take on a coordination role at the head of a sub-commission he defined as a "Peace and Politicization Commission."
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EMPHASIS ON ARTICLES 42 AND 66
Article 42 of the Constitution, which Çandar pointed to, contains the provision: "No language other than Turkish shall be taught as a mother tongue to Turkish citizens in any educational and training institutions." Article 66 contains the statement: "Everyone bound to the Turkish State by the bond of citizenship is a Turk."
News Source: 12punto
