Turkish MPs pass Article 14 of constitution change

By Seval Guler

ANKARA (AA) – Lawmakers on Saturday adopted the fourteenth article of a new constitutional reform package that addresses structural reforms to the nation’s highest judicial body.

A total of 483 of 550 deputies participated the secret ballot session at Parliament’s General Assembly.

The changes were approved by a 341 - 483 vote. The motion was rejected by 133 MPs, four voted blank, four were invalid and one abstention.

The High Council of Judges and Prosecutors currently has 22 regular and 12 substitute members, however, the new regulation has just 13 members.

The new body that will be renamed the Judges and Prosecutors' Council, retains its independence, own budget, and the Minister of Justice will be president of the Council.

Three members will be elected by the country’s president while the remaining members will be elected parliament. Elections to the Council will be held every four years and members can be re-elected.

Lawmakers have so far passed regulations that define and lay out parliament’s responsibilities -- one of the most discussed items -- and the regulation of criminal liabilities for the president and top officials, as well as election regulations.

Four more amendments are slated to be voted on in the coming days.

Constitutional reform and the change to a presidential system has been on the political agenda since Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former prime minister and Justice and Development (AK) Party leader, was elected president in August 2014. It marked the first time a Turkish president had been directly chosen by popular vote.

On Dec. 30, a constitutional committee of deputies from the AK Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) submitted a proposed bill to parliament for ratification. Turkey's largest opposition party, CHP, and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) remain opposed to the proposed changes.

If it passes parliament with 330 of 550 deputies, it will be voted on in a national referendum. If it obtains the support of 367 lawmakers, it can pass into law without referendum although Erdogan has said he would push for a referendum even if the draft is approved by the two-thirds majority.

Proposed changes to the Constitution require a simple majority (51 percent).

The ruling AK Party has 316 seats and the MHP, which has so far supported the constitutional change, holds 39 seats.

The "yes" votes from the two parties would be enough to secure a referendum.