State secularism will be enshrined in the forthcoming Turkish Constitution, said Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu today after the parliament speaker caused a controversy by advocating a religious Magna Carta.
"The characteristics of the state are not a matter of debate for us. The principle of secularism will be in the new constitution," Davutoglu said at a meeting of its parliamentary group in the House.
Parliament President Ismail Kahraman, sparked controversy this week to defend Turkey, being a Muslim-majority country, you need a religious constitution, a proposal that contradicts one of the fundamental principles on which the Turkish republic was established.
According Kahraman: "The new constitution should not contain a definition of secularism only France, Ireland and Turkey have constitutions that define secularism Our Constitution should not escape religion We are a Muslim country...".
Davutoglu today distanced itself clearly from the words of Speaker of the House.
"In the new constitution prepared, secularism appear to guarantee religious freedom of citizens and the state to be equidistant from all faiths," said the prime minister.
President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and yesterday distanced Kahraman statements and defended the country remain a secular state.
Erdogan said parliament speaker expressed personal views and not those of the formation in government, the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Since coming to power in 2002, the AKP, founded by Erdogan, is accused by his critics of wanting to Islamize Turkish society.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition party, the secular CHP, stressed that "secularism is the guarantee of freedom of worship" in Turkey and has requested the resignation of President of Parliament, a member of the AKP.
Riot police had to break up a protest yesterday of several hundred people in favor of secularism against the Turkish Parliament.
"We do not want a constitution of sharia, but secularism" or "Secularism win," were some of the chants of the demonstrators, who were dispersed by police with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Since the AKP in November achieved an absolute majority in Parliament, one of the priorities of the Government is drafting a new constitution to replace the current, created after the 1980 military coup.
The AKP needs the parliamentary support of the opposition to approve a new Basic Law, but it rejects the creation of a presidential system that covets Erdogan and expand his powers.