President Tayyip Erdogan announced on Sunday that parliament might enact a legal amendment to address a judicial crisis arising from an unprecedented clash between two of Turkey’s top courts.
The conflict emerged when the Appeals Court of Cassation challenged a ruling by the Constitutional Court regarding the release of jailed parliamentarian Can Atalay. Atalay, sentenced to 18 years for organizing 2013 protests, had the Constitutional Court rule in favor of his release, triggering the confrontation.
The Court of Cassation deemed the Constitutional Court’s decision unconstitutional, leading to a standoff. Erdogan, emphasizing the need for a new constitution, positioned himself as a mediator in the dispute. Lawmakers from the main opposition CHP party have staged a sit-in at the parliament’s general assembly in protest.
