27 July 2017•Update: 27 July 2017
By Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA
Turkey’s parliament ratified changes to a number of parliamentary bylaws before going on summer recess.
The new bylaws were passed Thursday by the votes of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputies.
The deputies also approved a motion putting parliament on recess until Oct. 1.
The revised bylaws cover a range of subjects, from what the parliament speaker can wear to how long a bill can be debated.
The changes were passed by parliament’s Constitutional Committee last week after being proposed by the AK Party and MHP in the face of criticism from the other two parliamentary parties.
One of the proposals would reduce time lawmakers can debate a parliamentary motion from 40 minutes to 14 minutes -- five minutes for the MP proposing the motion, and three minutes each for an MP from the other three parties.
In other debates, the length of time a lawmaker can speak would also be cut from 10 minutes to three.
Also under the changes, anyone who fails to properly take the oath of office at the beginning of a new parliament would not be recognized as a deputy.
Separately, protesting the changes, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies refused to leave parliament early Thursday.
The party’s 13-hour protest ended after the deputy parliament speaker officially opened a session at 2.00 p.m. (1100GMT) on Thursday.
The bylaws follow Turkey’s April 16 referendum, as the country makes the shift towards a presidential system.
