A senior official from Turkey’s main opposition party said Wednesday that the party will boycott any parliamentary commission or talks on constitutional amendments initiated by the parties aligned with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, amid growing concerns that he may use the process to extend his tenure beyond legal term limits.
Gökhan Günaydın, deputy parliamentary group chair of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), said the party will neither join constitutional reform talks nor nominate members to any commission set up by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its far-right ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
“The CHP will not take a seat at the constitutional amendment table,” Günaydın told T24 in an interview published Wednesday, adding that he party would also refuse to nominate members to any such commission.
His comments follow growing speculation that Erdoğan may attempt to push constitutional changes to enable a third presidential term. Under Turkey’s current constitution, adopted in 2018, Erdoğan’s current term — his second under the presidential system — is supposed to be his last, unless early elections are called by parliament.
Critics warn that any move to reinterpret or amend term-limit provisions would erode the rule of law and further concentrate power in the presidency. Erdoğan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than two decades, has previously been accused of using constitutional reforms to prolong his time in office.
While Erdoğan previously stated that the proposed constitutional overhaul aims to create a more democratic and inclusive framework for future generations, no formal draft has yet been submitted to parliament.
Günaydın said that while the current constitution is flawed and in need of reform, any genuine process must be inclusive and democratic — not orchestrated solely by the ruling bloc.
“Yes, [Turkey] needs constitutional change. … But it cannot be done with the AKP and MHP. If you sit down with them, they’ll pretend to offer concessions while pushing their own agenda,” he argued.
Günaydın also criticized a reported proposal from MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli to create a 100-member legislative commission that could operate with as few as 51 members — just enough for AKP and MHP to dominate.
“Would a 102-year-old party like the CHP sign a blank sheet of paper? Absolutely not,” he said.
Instead, Günaydın urged the ruling parties to prove their democratic intentions by backing a CHP-led bill, co-signed by 12 opposition parties, that calls for an end to the government’s controversial use of state-appointed trustees — known as “kayyım” — to replace elected mayors. The practice, rooted in a 2016 law enacted after a coup attempt, allows authorities to remove mayors and municipal officials under investigation for terrorism, citing national security concerns.
“If you truly want democratization, why bother forming a commission?” Günaydın said, addressing the ruling bloc. “Just sign our bill and abolish the trustee system. As long as you refuse to do even that, anyone who still believes you — I’d question their judgment.”
Turkey’s current constitution was drafted following a military coup in 1980 and is criticized for being anti-democratic. While Erdoğan insists his reform push is about democratization, critics suspect it may open the door for yet another term in office.
Under the current presidential system, adopted in a 2017 referendum, the president can serve two five-year terms. Erdoğan was elected president in 2014 under the old parliamentary system and re-elected in 2018 and 2023 under the new executive presidency. Legal experts remain divided on whether a third term under the revised system would require a constitutional amendment or a snap election, which resets the term count.
Changing the constitution would require either a three-fifths parliamentary majority, 360 out of 600 seats, to trigger a referendum, or a two-thirds supermajority, 400 seats, for direct approval. The AKP and its far-right allies currently fall short of both thresholds, making any constitutional overhaul contingent on opposition support.