Turkish President approved a package of constitutional reforms

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish President Abdullah Gul approved the government's constitutional amendment package on May 12. The government is now focused on a public referendum on the package. The Republican People's Party (CHP), on the other hand, plans to appeal the package at the Constitutional Court, Today’s Zaman reported.

The two pillars of the reforms call for overhauling the Constitutional Court and the restructuring of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors, responsible for managing the judiciary.

If everything goes according to the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) plans and no further surprises occur, the package will be submitted to referendum on July 18.

With Article 17, the Constitutional Court will have a total of 17 regular members. Three of these will be appointed by Parliament. The president will choose three members from among the Supreme Court of Appeals' nominees, two from among judges nominated by the Council of State, one by the Military Supreme Court of Appeals, one from among three nominees by the Military Higher Administrative Court and three from judges nominated by the Higher Education Board (YOK). Four other members will be appointed, again by the president, from among independently employed lawyers, first-class judges and prosecutors and from among Constitutional Court rapporteurs who have served the high court for at least five years.