Turkish Parliament Faces Deadline On Draft Constitution
Cornered by Prime Minister Erdogan's electoral calendar, Cemil Cicek announced a deadline for the Parliamentary Constitution Reconciliation Commission to finalize its work, writes Tulin Daloglu.
![TURKEY-ERDOGAN/ Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan leaves his seat to address members of parliament from the ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara February 19, 2013. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3DZE4](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2013/05/Turkish%20parliament.jpg/Turkish%20parliament.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=ShnDpVRY)
“The sun is about to set, we need to make a decision before it gets dark,” Cemil Cicek, speaker of the Turkish Parliament and member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said today [May 3], as the Erdogan government’s patience runs thin in trying to persuade the members of the parliament’s Constitution Reconciliation Commission (CRC) to forge a new contract between the state and the citizens — as the AKP sees fit.
The 12 CRC members started their work to draft a new constitution in May 2012. This historic parliamentary commission is composed of three deputies from each elected party — AKP, Republican People’s Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).