Latest developments in the Turkish Parliament
The Commission is following the situation very closely and with concern. Turkey will have to deal in the near future with important challenges, which will require the inclusion of all democratic forces. At the same time, the Parliament will be at the heart of debates and decisions on Turkey's future. All sides must contribute to guaranteeing its integrity and its good functioning, and we trust that all involved are committed to working towards addressing the issues and moving forward.
In the meantime, we note that the current confusion has also its origins in the fact that people are being kept in detention for excessive periods of time pending their trial, or are convicted for their speeches. These are flaws which we have consistently highlighted in our progress reports, and which undermine fundamental rights such as freedom of expression or the right to effective judicial guarantees. We hope the next government will address these concerns through amending the legal framework.