Author : Hurriyet Dailynews
Posted : January 18,2017
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has “conveyed his concerns” on the proposed constitutional amendments package to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli in a face-to-face meeting only hours before parliament was set to commence second round vote.
“The MHP is a very important political party in Turkey’s democratic history. I have visited the chairman. I have shared my concerns about the constitutional changes. I thank him very much,” Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters after the 45-minute meeting on Jan. 18.
For his part, Bahçeli remained tight-lipped, saying Kılıçdaroğlu simply “said what needs to be told.”
He added that the CHP head strongly criticizes the constitutional amendment that introduces a shift from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency, calling the move an attempt to weaken the Turkish Parliament and democracy.
The amendments are supported by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the MHP and all received more than 330 votes, the required majority to take them to a referendum, in the first rounds of voting.
the SAFIA Blog 