EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele urges Turkey to draft new constitution

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele urged Turkey to draft a new constitution Saturday (October 23rd) that would guarantee democratic rights and freedoms in accordance with EU norms. Speaking at a conference on Turkey-European Union Relations in Istanbul, he said that the constitution should be result of consultations among all political powers, the civil society and the authorities. “A civilian constitution is the most important starting point to strengthen a democractic system in line with EU standards,” Fuele added. He stressed the importance of guaranteeing freedom of expression and strengthening the rule of law. Turkey’s current constitution is the legacy of a 1980 military coup.