[TODAYSZAMAN] The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is looking to take a new constitution that involves switching Turkey's parliamentary system to a presidential system to a referendum in the fall, and the party might seek a snap election if it fails in this endeavor, according to political observers.The AK Party wants a Constitutional Reconciliation Commission to be established in Parliament to prepare the new constitution in six months.
A Constitutional Reconciliation Commission with representatives from all parliamentary parties was established for the first time following the 2011 general elections. It reached an agreement on 60 articles of the new constitution. The new Constitutional Reconciliation Commission is expected to add articles to those 60 within the six-month period. If the number of articles on which the parties agrees reaches 100, this will have strengthened the hand of the AK Party, say analysts.
The AK Party, which received around 50 percent of the nationwide vote in the snap election held on Nov. 1, is sure that it will take the new constitution to a referendum. An AK Party deputy who requested anonymity told Sunday's Zaman that the AK Party sees a potential rise in its 50 percent share of vote in future elections, while the popularity of the opposition parties is dwindling.
"In one year, the constitution will have been changed, and we will have adopted a presidential system. We believe this demand of the president [for a switch to a presidential system] will be met by our people," said the AK Party deputy.