Turkish Parliament begins new legislative year under tension

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On October 1, the Turkish Parliament held the opening ceremony of the third year of its 28th legislature. Opposition MPs protested against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during the ceremony, drawing attention to ongoing constitutional and political issues .

Representatives of opposition parties, Chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Özgür Özel, Co-Chairman of the pro-Kurdish People's Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Tuncer Bakırhan , the chairman of the opposition nationalist Good Party (İYİ), Müsavat Dervişoğlu, the radical party Chairman of the New Islamist Welfare Party (YRP), Fatih Erbakan, and the co-chairman of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), pro -Kurdish, Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar, attended the session during which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke.

Before the session, the CHP parliamentary group sent a message ordering its deputies to stand when President Erdoğan entered the chamber. Some CHP members did not want to defend Erdoğan and chose not to attend the session. DEM party deputies also remained seated at Erdoğan's entrance.

CHP leader Özel was the first to stand as Erdoğan entered the general assembly. He later explained that the party would not disrespect the office.

This change in the CHP's position has sparked debate. About 50 to 60 lawmakers did not attend the session. While some were reportedly absent for personal reasons, the majority remained absent to protest the decision, Gazete Duvar's Nergis Demirkaya wrote.

An MP who did not respect the decision said: “The point we have reached under the guise of normalization risks legitimizing the regime. There has been no change in the problems that we have fundamentally criticized about the system. »

While some lawmakers agreed with Özel's reasoning, others objected to the way the process was conducted. According to some sources, Özel made the decision the day before the opening session but did not share it with the group's entire management. Lawmakers were notified via text message just three hours before the session.

Party members said the management of the process was flawed, adding: “Early communication and rapid assessment within our group would not have been difficult. »

According to CHP officials, the move was aimed at swaying undecided voters, who polls showed at between 18 and 20 percent.

Erdoğan's speech focused on Israeli attacks on Palestine and discussions on the new constitution. He said the current constitution, “imposed on our nation in the shadow of guns following the September 12 military coup,” no longer met the needs of Turkish society.

“Achieving our great goals and aspirations is only possible with a new conciliatory, libertarian and civil constitution. The need for a new civil constitution becomes more evident every day,” the president said.

Erdoğan stressed that the AKP and the People's Alliance were diligently preparing their proposals, but that did not mean they were closed to collaboration. “We respect and listen to every point of view. I invite all segments of society to join our struggle for a new civil constitution,” the president said.

The Assembly met without Can Atalay of the Turkish Workers' Party (TİP), whose parliamentary mandate was not restored despite a Constitutional Court ruling that his rights had been violated. TİP Chairman Erkan Baş held a press conference in parliament instead of attending the opening ceremony, alongside MPs Ahmet Şık and Saliha Sera Kadıgil.

Baş said the party refuses to listen to Erdoğan's “lies and fairy tales,” who opens and closes the Assembly, passes laws as he pleases and “tramples” the current constitution.

“Today’s event is not the opening of a popular assembly but a masked ball. We refuse to participate in this charade. This is why we will not attend the General Assembly. We will not grant the slightest legitimacy to those who trample on the will of the people where it should prevail,” Baş added.

Baş also called for early elections, saying this was the TİP's only message for the opening of the new session.

In his opening speech to the Turkish Grand National Assembly, President Kurtulmuş addressed the question of a new constitution, saying that a constitution “democratic, participatory, inclusive, libertarian and based on the separation of powers” would give the Turkey some room for maneuver.

During the speech, CHP MP Sibel Suiçmez held up a sign that read: “Parliament violates the Constitution.”