New constitution essential goal for us: Justice Minister Bozdağ
CREATING a new constitution in a democratic environment where everyone contributes and feels free is an unchanging and essential target for us, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said Tuesday following a Plan and Budget Commission session at Parliament.
As the 2023 elections approach day by day, the making of a new constitution, according to Minister Bozdağ who is a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), is the fundamental objective of the “Century of Türkiye” vision the AK Party unveiled earlier this month aiming for “a stronger Türkiye in every sphere.”
The promise of a new constitution holds a spot in the electoral program and declaration of almost every political party in Türkiye, Bozdağ opined.
“Despite this fact, Türkiye hasn’t had a new constitution so far. The only thing every faction can agree on yet fail to materialize in this country is a new constitution,” Bozdağ noted. “Therefore, starting the second century of our republic, in other words, the century of Türkiye, with a new constitution will only further strengthen our country and nation.”
Bozdağ went on to assure that his office would continue making “the utmost contribution” to the efforts for the new constitution.
He described the need for a brand-new civil constitution as “indisputable” and said it was “well within the parliamentarians’ authority” to draft and bring into force a new constitution.
Bozdağ reiterated that the Justice Ministry has been analyzing Türkiye’s existing body of knowledge and working to establish a framework for building a new constitution. “We will provide every support to both our Parliament and the commissions preparing for the issue,” he said.
Bozdağ listed a few examples of the “significant steps” the ministry has taken to combat violence against women and contended that in the past 20 years under AK Party rule, Türkiye has carried out deep-rooted legislative changes and constructed a corporate structure for more effective protection of women’s rights.
“Many practices that weren’t in place before 2002 have been introduced to the system,” Bozdağ recalled. “The launch of family courts in 2003 for resolving disputes in family law, the 2012 passing of Article 6284 Protection of the Family and Prevention of the Violence Against Women, and more severe, deterrent punishments for crimes committed against women are just to name a few,” he said.
AK Party chairperson and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan too previously underlined the need for a new constitution that would be “the product of the national will” and “increase the welfare of the Turkish people as well as guarantee the rule of law, pluralism, justice, equity and freedom.”
The AK Party rolled out its Century of Türkiye vision as a “revolutionary” and global push that would “define the next century” and “bring democracy, development, peace and welfare to every corner of the world.”
Türkiye is set to hold nationwide elections in June 2023, when voters will choose the president as well as all 600 members of Parliament. The president and parliamentary lawmakers are elected to five-year terms, although the president also has the power to call for early elections.