Pro-Kurdish HDP Reiterates Stance On Presidential System In Turkey

The People's Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtas says there is no change in his party's policy of opposition to the executive presidency much-desired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his victorious Justice and Development Party (AKP). 

(DHA) - In a meeting with the press in the Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, Demirtas told reporters on Thursday "What Turkey needs is a libertarian, civil, democratic constitution." He said the presidency is not on their agenda as a topic of discussion and further added that HDP is ready to "take up the task" of participating in a committee of re-writing Turkey's Constitution. 

The HDP leader also called for a renewal of peace negotiations between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which would include the current Turkish Parliament, imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, and the Group of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), a transnational umbrella organization of PKK and non-PKK affiliates. 

Earlier this week the Turkish Daily, Cumhuriyet quoted HDP spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen as saying presidential system can be "discussed". Later on Bilgen clarified HDP`s position in that regard and said they are against one-man rule, as seen in Central Asian and African countries.  

HDP consistently rejected the idea of an executive presidency during its campaigns in June 7 and Nov 1 Turkish general elections.