Turkish parliament to make last-ditch charter bid

Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek was set to meet Turkey’s premier late December 28 as part of a tour to meet the leaders of Turkey’s four main parties with the aim of reviving dwindling hopes of drafting a long-anticipated new Constitution despite a looming deadline, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Çiçek, who could seek to extend the drafting process by an extra three to four months, is embarking on his 11th-hour tour amid a fierce debate over the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) insistence on the adoption of the presidential system in the new Constitution.

In addition to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the speaker has requested appointments from Republican People’s Party (CHP) chief Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahçeli and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş. He is scheduled to meet Bahçeli on December 29.