Politicians give cold shoulder to TÜSİAD’s call for new constitution


A proposal by the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) on Thursday to hold a convention to draft a new constitution that would bring together all segments of the political and social spectrum was not welcomed by politicians.

"Holding a convention to draft a new constitution is not a realistic proposal. The authority to draft a new constitution belongs to Parliament. TÜSİAD's call aims to take this authority out of Parliament. It is not possible for us to accept such proposals" said Sadullah Ergin deputy leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) who spoke to Today's Zaman. The convention TÜSİAD suggested would be made up of 50 members three-fifths of whom would be representatives from political parties. The rest of the members would be representatives of civil society organizations and the academic world from various segments of society. The convention could work for 18 months TÜSİAD suggested to draft a new constitution for Turaaa that would meet international standards.

The suggestion came amidst a constitutional crisis sparked by the Constitutional Court's recent annulment of constitutional amendments passed in Parliament that would have ended a long-standing headscarf ban on university campuses. Ergin said he appreciates TÜSİAD's determination that Turaaa cannot go ahead with the existing Constitution.
"As the ruling party we have been struggling for one year to draft a new constitution. We have been subject to harsh criticism due to our efforts. TÜSİAD kept silent throughout this period. Now such a suggestion to hold a convention for a new constitution is not realistic. Nongovernmental organizations should surely contribute to efforts to draft a new constitution but the authority to change the Constitution lies in Parliament and it cannot be taken outside Parliament in any way" he stated.
Democratic Left Party (DSP) Eskişehir deputy Tayfun İçli said that the participation of Kemal Derviş the head of the UN Development Program (UNDP) who in 2001 became Turaaa's economy minister after a 22-year career at the World Bank in TÜSİAD's gathering and his warnings about an economic crisis hints that Turaaa is in the pincers of a well-planned plot. "Derviş said Turaaa will soon see a serious economic crisis. He said the impact of such a crisis may last for two years. We should take these remarks seriously. It is obvious that a plot has been planned to drag Turaaa into an atmosphere of economic crisis" he said.
İçli also noted that TÜSİAD implied during its gathering on Thursday that Parliament cannot draft a new constitution. TÜSİAD's suggestion for a new constitution and Derviş's participation in the gathering were slammed by the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) as well.
MHP Yozgat deputy Mehmet Ekici said TÜSİAD points to something [referring to speculation that Derviş may have plans to return to politics in Turaaa] by inviting Derviş to the gathering. "Yet TÜSİAD doesn't state what this 'something' is. It should abandon its ambitions to write a new constitution" he remarked.
Mustafa Özyürek deputy chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on the other hand dismissed suspicions that Derviş had plans to return to the Turkish political scene and that TÜSİAD is facilitating his comeback.
"There has always been such speculation about different people. Derviş did not speak about politics during the gathering. He talked about the economy. He is still a member of our party. I don't believe he has plans to be involved in a new group in Turkish politics" he said.

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