While the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has nearly concluded its work on a draft for a new constitution, civil organisations gathered in Ankara at the weekend in order to express their expectations and demands.

Those joining the workshop also want to participate in the discussion of the constitutional draft in parliament. The participants will publish a declaration of their results.

The "Constitution Platform National Workshop" began on Saturday, 8 December and lasted for two days.

Around 70 NGOs represented 

Among the participating organisations were the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), the Turkish Association of Industrialists and Businesspeople (TÜSIAD), the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions of Employers (TISK), the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions of Workers (Türk-Is), the Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (Hak-Is), the Confederation of Turkish Trade Union of Public Workers (Kamu-Sen), the Turkish Confederation of Traders and Craftsmen (TESK), and the Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB). All in all 20 major, and a total of around 70 NGOs participated in the workshop.

Gathered to represent 40 million 

According to the "Radikal" newspaper, these institutions organise or represent around 40 million people.

On the first day of the workshop, the importance of protecting a laicist, social and democratic state of law was emphasised. In addition, consistency with EU standards and the widening of freedoms were said to be vital.
Issues discussed on the second day were the legislative, executive and administrative structures, as well as the government system and the judiciary.

There was agreement that previous amendments, which had resulted in the abolition of the death penalty, the banning of the use of a language, and the reduction of time in detention for collective crimes from 15 to 4 days, should not be changed. (GG/AG)