CHP Leader Rejects Erdoğan’s Call for New Constitution, Citing Erosion of Rule of Law

By Ahora Qadi

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a decisive rejection of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s latest political overture, Özgür Özel, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has declined to participate in talks to draft a new constitution, citing the ruling administration’s disregard for the rule of law.

Speaking on Friday, Özel dismissed Erdoğan’s appeal for CHP’s involvement in writing a “civil, liberal and democratic” constitution for Turkey, calling it disingenuous.

“We cannot engage in dialogue or reach agreements with those who do not respect the law. It is time to close the chapter on authoritarianism,” Özel declared.

Erdoğan's Call for a "New Century Constitution"

The Turkish president had earlier proposed the idea of a new national charter, asserting that Turkey is in need of a “civilized and democratic” constitution for the republic’s new century. In a statement on Thursday, Erdoğan stressed that the proposed constitution would not be “for himself,” but for “the Turkish nation,” reiterating that he does not intend to seek re-election.

Despite Erdoğan’s insistence on a forward-looking document, opposition leaders view the initiative as an attempt to consolidate power following the controversial arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

High-Profile Arrests Undermine Political Climate

Özel’s rebuke came just a day after visiting Imamoglu in prison. The Istanbul mayor, widely considered a leading contender for the presidency, was detained on March 19, 2025, in a sweeping anti-corruption probe.

In the same police operation, Mustafa Akin, Imamoglu’s chief security officer, and Kadriye Kasapoglu, his private secretary, were also arrested. Other key figures apprehended included Gurkan Alpay, deputy secretary general of the Istanbul municipality, and Ali Kurt, head of the municipality’s Kiptaş Housing Development Administration.

“Before any constitutional discussion, Turkey must return to a state of normalcy, and become a nation that respects both its own Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights,” Özel stated after his prison visit.

Nationalist Support for Erdoğan's Continued Role

In contrast, Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), issued a statement supporting Erdoğan’s leadership, saying that “Turkey and its people still need President Erdoğan to shape the roadmap for the next century.”

Bahçeli went further, declaring that the president’s rights must not be curtailed “at a time when the nation and the state require his stewardship the most.”