Turkey is due for a significant legal update. On Monday, Sept. 30, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the long-awaited democratization package. The next day, Oct. 1, the Turkish parliament reconvened from its summer recess and Speaker Cemil Cicek said that the 17-month-long effort of the parliamentary constitutional reconciliation commission, tasked to write a new constitution for the nation, is not looking promising.
“Despite the longing and expectation of our nation, despite our promise to our nation, despite that it is a necessity and obligation, for example, we have not been able to put a new and civilian constitution before the people based on societal consensus, having its priorities, principles, balance and standards,” he said.
