Alwaght- Turkish parliament started on Monday discussing a new draft constitution that will increase presidential powers.
The amendments proposed in two parts are supposed to be discussed in about two weeks. If approved by the legislature, the reformed constitution will be put to a referendum before coming into force.
The amendments proposed by the ruling party is supposed to make the president as the top executive figure in the country instead of the current system where domestic matters are handled by the Prime Minister.
On 30 December 2016, the draft law, submitted by the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP), passed the Turkish parliament’s constitutional commission.
The new constitution has been on the AKP’s agenda since its founder, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, became Turkey’s president in August 2014.
Supporters of the draft say such a law would enable the head of state to restore stability to the country, which has been shaken up by sporadic deadly terror attacks and a failed military coup last July.
Critics, however, denounce it as a means of restoration of the Ottoman Era powers to Erdogan, whom they see as an authoritarian figure.
