CHP seeks to grant citizens authority to submit and veto bills

Nergis Demirkaya / DUVAR 

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is seeking to grant citizens the authority to submit draft bills and veto bills that were approved in parliament, its report on a return to a parliamentary system showed. 

The party has previously formed a group led by CHP deputy leader Muharrem Erkek to work on the country's return to a parliamentary system. 

The report prepared by the group suggests granting Turkish nationals the authority to submit draft bills, except on the issues related to fundamental rights, budget, and foreign policy, if they obtain the number of necessary signatures. 

It also said that the people should have the authority to veto bills that were approved in parliament if they submit a petition. A referendum may be held in order to decide whether the bill should be cancelled, it said. 

Turkish voters said "yes" to shifting the country's governance system to an executive presidency with a controversial referendum on constitutional amendments on April 16, 2017.

The country shifted to the system officially on July 9, 2018, replacing a 95-year-old parliamentary system.

The system granted sweeping powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and allowed him to be both the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader and the president at the same time.

In the report, the CHP also said that the authority of the president should be decreased and their links to political parties should be removed. 

Restructuring the Supreme Election Council (YSK) and the Constitutional Court, removing the 10 percent election threshold, and airing general assembly discussions live on TV.