Source:

For English full text translation of Turkish Constitution see link: National Laws [ID 24510]

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06.11.2007 - Source: European Commission

Constitutional reforms ("Turkey 2007 Progress Report [SEC(2007) 1436]") [ID 22253]

"On 10 May 2007, the Turkish Grand National Assembly adopted a package of constitutional reforms proposed by the majority Justice and Development Party (AKP). The package introduces the election of the President by popular vote for a renewable term of five years, the shortening of the government's term of office from five to four years and the establishment of a quorum of one third for all sessions and decisions of parliament. A referendum held on 21 October endorsed these reforms.

In a separate constitutional amendment, the minimum age for a person to be elected to parliament was lowered from 30 to 25 years. The new rules will not be applicable until the next parliamentary elections."

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10.05.2007 - Source: Guardian

Parliament passes major constitutional amendment to allow people, rather than members of parliament, to elect president ("Ankara reforms embrace people power") [ID 19893]

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10.05.2007 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Legislators approve constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult for Kurdish politicians to enter parliament ("Turkey Passes Amendment Seen As Curbing Kurdish Votes") [ID 19894]

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15.02.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - European Commission against Racism and Intolerance

Reform of the Constitution was accompanied by seven packages of legislative reforms ("Third report on Turkey: Adopted on 25 June 2004 and made public on 15 February 2005 [CRI(2005) 5]") [#30573],  [ID 13234]

"10. A thorough overhaul of the Turkish Constitution was effected in October 2001, particularly with a view to strengthening fundamental rights and freedoms. A further revision of ten articles took place in 2004. The reform of the Constitution was accompanied by seven packages of legislative reforms chiefly designed to reflect the basic amendments to the Constitution and thus to extend rights and freedoms in Turkey. ECRI is pleased to learn that Articles 13 and 14 on the restriction of fundamental rights and freedoms have been amended to bring them more closely into line with the provisions of the ECHR. Article 26 on freedom of expression no longer prohibits the use of a language other than Turkish to express and disseminate ideas. The provision of Article 28 on the freedom of the press to the effect that nothing may be published in a language prohibited by law has been repealed2. These amendments lift a major obstacle to the expression of the ethnic and cultural identities of everyone living in Turkey, a development that ECRI welcomes."

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