Latest news with #demokrasi
BreakingNews.ie
28-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Turkey's Erdogan appoints legal team to draft new constitution
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he has appointed a team of legal experts to start working on a new constitution, which critics say could allow him to remain in power beyond his current term. Mr Erdogan, who has led Turkey as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, has advocated for a new constitution arguing that the current one, which was drafted following a military coup in 1980, is outdated and retains elements of military influence even though it was amended several times. Advertisement 'As of yesterday, I have assigned 10 legal experts to begin their work, and with this effort, we will proceed with the preparations for the new constitution,' Mr Erdogan told his ruling party's local administrators in a speech. Mr Erdogan has denied seeking a new constitution in order to remain in power (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) 'For 23 years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our sincere intention to crown our democracy with a new civilian and libertarian constitution.' Under the current constitution, Mr Erdogan cannot run again unless early elections are called or the legal framework is changed. Critics see the push for a new constitution as a possible path for re-election, allowing legal changes that would bypass the constitutional term limits. Advertisement Mr Erdogan, who has grown increasingly authoritarian over the years, has denied seeking a new constitution in order to remain in power, saying last week, 'we want the new constitution not for ourselves, but our country'. Mr Erdogan's ruling party and its nationalist allies lack the votes needed to usher in a new constitution. Some analysts believe the government's recent effort to end the decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, is part of a strategy to gain the support of a pro-Kurdish party in parliament for the new charter. The effort to introduce a new constitution comes months after Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular mayor of Istanbul and a key Erdogan rival, was arrested and jailed on corruption charges. Advertisement His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated, although the government insists Turkey's judiciary is independent and free of political influence. It triggered widespread demonstrations calling for his release and an end to Turkey's democratic backsliding under Mr Erdogan.
Asharq Al-Awsat
27-05-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Erdogan Appoints Legal Team to Draft New Constitution, Sparking Fears of Extended Rule
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday he has appointed a team of legal experts to start working on a new constitution — which critics say could allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his current term ends. Erdogan, who has led Türkiye as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, has advocated for a new constitution arguing that the current one, which was drafted following a military coup in 1980, is outdated and retains elements of military influence even though it was amended several times, Reuters reported. 'As of yesterday, I have assigned 10 legal experts to begin their work, and with this effort, we will proceed with the preparations for the new constitution,' Erdogan told his ruling party's local administrators in a speech. 'For 23 years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our sincere intention to crown our democracy with a new civilian and libertarian constitution.' Under the current constitution, Erdogan cannot run again unless early elections are called or the legal framework is changed. Critics see the push for a new constitution as a possible path for re-election, allowing legal changes that would bypass the constitutional term limits. Erdogan, who has grown increasingly authoritarian over the years, has denied seeking a new constitution in order to remain in power, saying last week 'we want the new constitution not for ourselves, but our country.' Erdogan's ruling party and its nationalist allies lack the votes needed to usher in a new constitution. Some analysts believe the government's recent effort to end the decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, is part of strategy to gain the support of a pro-Kurdish party in parliament for the new charter. The effort to introduce a new constitution comes months after Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular mayor of Istanbul and a key Erdogan rival, was arrested and jailed on corruption charges. His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated although the government insists Türkiye's judiciary is independent and free of political influence. It triggered widespread demonstrations calling for his release and an end to Türkiye's democratic backsliding under Erdogan.
Malay Mail
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Rafizi says welcomes fight for PKR deputy presidency, announces ‘reformasi revival' tour
KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has confirmed that he will defend his PKR deputy president post in the May 23 election, while reiterating his welcome for a contest to strengthen internal democracy. Rafizi said he officially submitted his nomination form today and looked forward to engaging with members as part of a nationwide tour to promote reformist ideals. 'As I've said before, I welcome any candidate who wishes to run, as this will further ignite the spirit of democracy within the party,' he said in a statement. He also announced a series of engagements under the Hidupkan Idealisme Reformasi Dalam Ujian Kuasa (HIRUK) banner, which he described as a platform to ensure PKR remains committed to its reformist foundations while in power. 'We will be travelling to various states to meet party members face to face, share our views and present our plans for the future,' he said, adding that he and his team were focused on strengthening the party's direction. Rafizi stressed that the roadshow aimed to reconnect the leadership with grassroots members, particularly at a time when the party must demonstrate that its ideals can survive the challenges of governance. The first stop of the tour will be in the southern region, with a forum scheduled on May 11 in Seremban for members from Melaka and Negeri Sembilan. Rafizi ended his message by thanking supporters for their continued backing and called on all members to maintain the spirit of reform regardless of the pressures of being in government. Earlier, Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, confirmed her candidacy for the deputy presidency while simultaneously rejecting allegations of nepotism.
