A motion submitted by HDP accepted in parliament for the first time

Duvar English

In what was a historic first, a motion submitted by the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has been approved in the Turkish parliament.

All political parties in parliament have each submitted a motion seeking to remove a clause in a government bill that would have granted the Interior Minister authority to strip the seniority of civilian administrative authorities (such as governors and local district governors).

All four motions were voted for simultaneously and accepted in the parliament, reported the daily Sözcü on Nov. 28. Accordingly, this clause was removed from the relevant government bill.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Erkan Aydın said during a speech at the parliament that despite a first-degree civilian administrative authority having "nearly 14 top skills and qualities" and the working experience of at least 15 years, it would be very unfair for them to be stripped of their first-degree level with just an order of a minister. “It is obvious that you like the one-man rule very much,” he said.

İYİ (Good) Party deputy Ayhan Eren also addressed the parliament, saying: “The first clause of this bill should be removed from the text as one person's future should not be dependent on the single statement of a minister.”