Turkey needs religious constitution, parliament speaker says
Source: Reuters
Overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey needs a religious constitution and the precept of secularism should be dropped from the country's new charter, parliament's speaker said, marking a potential rupture with the modern republic's founding principles.
The ruling AK Party, which has roots in political Islam, is pushing to replace the existing constitution, which dates back to the period after a 1980 military coup.
Critics fear a new charter could concentrate too much power in the hands of President Tayyip Erdogan, who wants an executive presidency to replace the current parliamentary system. The government has pledged that European standards on human rights will form the basis of the new text.
"For one thing, the new constitution should not have secularism," parliament speaker Ismail Kahraman said in a speech late on Monday, according to videos published by Turkish media. "It needs to discuss religion ... It should not be irreligious, this new constitution, it should be a religious constitution," said Kahraman.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-politics-constitution-idUSKCN0XN0MD
Democat
(11,617 posts)Remember a few years ago when some thought that Turkey would soon be a member of the EU?
roamer65
(36,739 posts)They are not compatible with the organization.
Coventina
(26,855 posts)dhol82
(9,351 posts)Well, at least they had close to a hundred years of a secular government.
Sad.
TipTok
(2,474 posts)fullautohotdog
(90 posts)TipTok
(2,474 posts)Johnyawl
(3,205 posts)...I think it's time for a military coup. Fuck Erdogan.
fred v
(271 posts)Whoda thunk it?
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)Ankara (AFP) - Turkish police on Tuesday fired tear gas to break up a protest over a call for the country to adopt a religious constitution that has sparked concerns of creeping Islamisation in the traditionally secular state.
Officers in riot gear clashed with a crowd of more than 100 demonstrators outside parliament, an AFP photographer reported.
The group chanted "Turkey will remain secular" as police tussled with the crowd, detaining several protesters.
"The police's mission is to protect secularism and rights. This boy is fighting for a secular regime," opposition MP Mahmut Tanal told officers, as he helped a dazed demonstrator stand after the police push.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/turkey-police-fire-tear-gas-religious-constitution-protest-003153851.html?ref=gs