Turkish MPs Adopt Three More Articles of Constitutional Reform

Lawmakers in Turkey have approved new articles of a proposed consitutional reform package allowing for changes to the country's top judicial body, regulation of the annual budget and a switch of the government system, local media report.

None of the articles has collected the ovewhelming majority of 367 votes that would make it binding, according to vote results cited by Hürriyet Daily News.

One of the proposals envisages a cut in the number of members of the High Council for Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), currently having 22 regular and 12 substitute members and having just 13 members under the proposed change.

Most of the members (10) will be elected by Parliament and three will be appointed by the President.

Additionally, another change envisages for the President to submit a budget proposal to Parliament at least 75 days before the start of the fiscal year.

More voting is due on Sunday evening.

With constitutional changes falling short of parliamentary approval that would cement them as binding, the ruling AKP party in Turkey eyes a referendum it plans to hold in the spring.

Under some of the other amendments, Turkey is sliding toward a presidential system where the head of state has executive powers.

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