Leader of Turkey's CHP supports constitution reform

ANKARA

The leader of Turkey’s main opposition party on Saturday called for constitutional change but without the presidential system supported by the ruling party.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), addressed supporters at a party congress in Ankara.

Since November’s general election returned the Justice and Development (AK) Party to power, the party’s leader, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, has held talks with opposition parties to discuss replacing the 1982 constitution introduced by the military.

Although the AK Party regained its majority in November, it does not have enough deputies to make constitutional change without opposition support.

“I call on the chairman of Justice and Development Party,” Kilicdaroglu said, referring to Davutoglu. “If you want a liberal democracy in this country, let’s change the legal order of the 1980 Turkish coup d’etat. This constitution is a part of it. If we change this, we will bring democracy."

However, he added: “Their intent is not to remove the legal order of the Turkish coup d'etat. They intend to strengthen it. They say ‘It is not enough for us, we will bring the presidential system’. What kind of presidency? Just like in the U.S.?"

“They want a presidential system with a boss. Everyone knows that we will never let them do this.”

All three parliamentary opposition parties oppose replacing Turkey’s parliamentary system with a presidential model they fear would give too much power to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Kilicdaroglu also called for the removal of the 10 percent election threshold in Turkey that prevents smaller parties gaining representation in parliament.

The CHP general assembly will end Sunday when Kilicdaroglu is expected to be confirmed as chairman.