The Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly Zorlu Töre said that constitutional amendments and reforms should be on the agenda of the parliament in the new period.

“My hope is that constitutional amendments will be discussed in the new period and presented to the public for approval through a referendum,” said Töre, emphasizing that this work could be carried out in the new legislative year.

Evaluating the new legislative year on BRT, the Speaker of Parliament Zorlu Töre expressed the hope that parliament will be able to focus its energy on constitutional amendments and reforms in the new term.

He said that a parliamentary commission tasked with drafting the amendments could also receive expert assistance from the outside.

“The groundwork exists and the commission can work on improving the work carried out earlier. The amendments could be explained to the public better and the parties could reach a consensus on this. With the hope that it will be included in our work,” he said.

Töre said that the amendments envisaged included the judiciary.

He added that the number of judges could be increased to help ease the current pileup of court cases.

Töre also mentioned the need to change the quorum requirement in parliament so that the assembly could convene with fewer numbers to the passing of laws.

“Many issues in the constitution were overlooked, laws were made, and articles were written without considering many issues. These must be changed without a doubt. We have sworn not to depart from the constitution, but the duty to change the constitution is still with the Assembly. The changes to be prepared are taken to a referendum and accepted. The initial articles of the constitution would remain the same but some need to be adapted to changing times,” he added.

Töre pointed out that the Assembly’s summer recess could also be shortened through constitutional amendments.

The parliamentary speaker also added that a constitutional amendment referendum could be better explained to the public if conducted independently.