Opposition bloc’s amendment package fails to lure pro-Kurdish party

A new constitutional amendment proposal package by the opposition bloc in Turkey is bound to fail as it offers no democratic solution to the Kurdish question, a senior official from the Pro-Kurdish HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) said.

HDP’s Vice President Serhat Eren said that the package remained weak to provide a real, strong democracy, even though it had some positive elements.

“The constitution should be based on respect for different cultures, identities, beliefs and mother tongues and equal citizens. The proposal package by the opposition bloc does not produce solutions for these problems, but only offers some restoration and repair,” Eren said in an interview with Arti Gercek.

On Monday, six opposition parties that form the Nation Alliance disclosed its constitutional amendment package for replacing the current presidential system with a strengthened parliamentary model.

Eren emphasized the need for a strong local democracy and said that local mechanisms completed the parliamentary system.

“The package offers no democratic solution to the Kurdish question. (..) Any project that does not offer a solution to the Kurdish problem is unlikely to succeed.” Eren said, adding that it was still a positive step for the opposition bloc to deprive the interior minister of the power to dismiss mayors and nominate trustees.

Earlier, HDP Co-Chair Mithat Sancar also said the proposal was weak and deficient and did not show “the will to transform and change the system that constantly produces crisis and conflict.”