The Constitution of the Republic of Turkey

PART SIX

PROVISIONAL ARTICLES

The President of the Republic shall also hold the chairmanship of the Council of National Security formed on 12 December 1980 under Act No. 2356, until the convening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the formation of the Bureau of the Assembly following the first general elections.

If the Presidency of the Republic falls vacant for any reason before the Turkish Grand National Assembly convenes and assumes its functions at the end of the first general elections, the most senior member of the Council of National Security shall act as President of the Republic and shall exercise all his constitutional functions and powers until the convening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and its election of a new President of the Republic in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 2. The Council of National Security formed on 12 December 1980 under Act No. 2356 shall continue to exercise its functions under Act No. 2324 on the Constitutional Order and Act No. 2485 on the Constituent Assembly until the convening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the formation of the Bureau of the Assembly following the first general elections held under the Political Parties Act and the Elections Act prepared in accordance with the Constitution.

After the adoption of the Constitution, Article 3 of Act No. 2356 relating to the procedure for filling a seat on the Council of National Security which falls vacant for any reason, shall cease to apply.

After the Turkish Grand National Assembly has convened and assumed its functions, the Council of National Security shall become the Presidential Council for a period of six years, and the members of the Council of National Security shall acquire the title of members of the Presidential Council. The oath they took on 18 September 1980 as members of the Council of National Security shall remain valid. Members of the Presidential Council shall enjoy the rights and immunity conferred by the Constitution on members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The legal existence of the Presidential Council shall terminate on the expiry of the period of six years.

The following functions of the Presidential Council shall be as follows:

a. To examine laws adopted by the Turkish Grand National Assembly and submitted to the President of the Republic concerning: the fundamental rights and freedoms and duties, the principle of secularism, the preservation of the reforms of Ataturk, national security and public order set forth in the Constitution, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, International Treaties, the sending of Armed Forces to foreign countries and the stationing of foreign forces in Turkey, emergency rule, martial law and the state of war, and other laws deemed necessary by the President of the Republic, within the first ten days of the period of fifteen days granted to the President of the Republic for his consideration;

b. On the request of the President of the Republic and within the period specific by him:

To consider and give an opinion on matters relating to the holding of new general elections, the exercise of emergency powers and the measures to be taken during a state of emergency, the management and supervision of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, the training of youth and the conduct of religious affairs;

c. According to the request of the President of the Republic, to consider and investigate matters relating to internal or external security and such other matters as are deemed necessary, and to submit its findings to the President of the Republic.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 3. With the convening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the formation of the Bureau of the Assembly following the first general elections held in accordance with the Constitution:

a. Act No. 2324 of 27 October 1980 on the Constitutional Order;

b. Act No. 2356 of 12 December 1980 on the Council of National Security;

c. Act No. 2485 of 29 June 1981 on the Constituent Assembly, shall cease to have effect and the legal existence of the Council of National Security and the Consultative Assembly shall terminate.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 4. Provisional Article 4 of the Constitution of the Republic has been abolished with a referendum held on 6 September 1987, in accordance with Law No: 3361 of 17 May 1987 and Law No: 3376 of 23 May 1987. The results of the referendum are published in the Official Gazette No: 19532, dated 12 September 1987.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 5. On the tenth day following the proclamation by the Supreme Election Council of the results of the first general elections, the Turkish Grand National Assembly shall convene of its own accord at the premises of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara at 15.00 hrs. The eldest deputy shall take the chair for this session. At this session the deputies shall take their oaths.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 6. Until the Turkish Grand National Assembly formed in accordance with the Constitution adopts the Rules of Procedure which shall govern its sessions and proceedings, those provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly which were in force before 12 September 1980 and which are not contrary to the Constitution shall apply.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 7. The present Council of Ministers shall continue in office until the convening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the formation of the new Council of Ministers following the first general elections.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 8. Legislation relating to the organisation, duties, powers, and functioning of the new organs, institutions, and agencies established under the Constitution and other legislation whose introduction or amendment is provided for in the Constitution, shall be enacted during the period of Constituent Assembly, starting from the date of the adoption of the Constitution; legislation which cannot be dealt with during this period shall be enacted within the year following the first session of the newly elected Turkish Grand National Assembly.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 9. Within a period of six years following the formation of the Bureau of the Turkish Grand National Assembly which is to convene after the first general elections, the President of the Republic may refer to the Turkish Grand National Assembly for further consideration any Constitutional amendments adopted by the Assembly. In this case the resubmission of the Constitutional amendment draft in its unchanged form to the President of the Republic by the Turkish Grand National Assembly, is only possible with a three-fourths majority of the votes of the total number of members.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 10. Local elections shall be held within a year of the first session of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 11. Regular and substitute members of the Constitutional Court who were in office on the date of the adoption by referendum of the Constitution shall continue to hold office and exercise their functions. Those previously elected by the Constitutional Court to specific functions shall retain the status thus acquired.

No election shall be held to fill the vacant seats of the regular members of the Constitutional Court until the number of these members falls to eleven, nor shall an election be held to fill the vacant seats of substitute members until the total number of regular and substitute members falls to fifteen. Until the Constitutional Court adapts to the new system, the principles and order of precedence set forth in the Constitution shall be observed in the elections which are to be held because the number of regular members has fallen below eleven, or because the total number of regular and substitute members has fallen below fifteen.

Until the number of regular members of the Constitutional Court falls to eleven, the quorum prescribed by Act No. 44 of 22 April 1962 shall be observed in all cases and proceedings.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 12. Persons appointed by the Head of State as regular and substitute members of the Supreme Council of Judges and Public Prosecutors from among the members of the High Court of Appeals and the Council of State under Provisional Article 1 of Act No. 2461 of 13 May 1981 on the Supreme Council of Judges and Public Prosecutors; as Chief Public Prosecutor and Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor in accordance with the Provisional Article appended to Act No. 1730 on the High Court of Appeals under Act No. 2483 of 25 June 1981; and as President, Chief Public Prosecutor, deputy presidents and heads of division of the Council of State under Provisional Article 14, paragraph 2 of Act No. 2575 of 6 January 1982 on the Council of State shall continue to exercise their functions until the end of the term of office for which they were elected.

The Provisions of the Provisional Articles of Act No. 2576 of 6 January 1982 which concern the appointment of the presidents and members of Administrative Courts shall also remain in force.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 13. The elections of one regular and one substitute member to be elected to the Supreme Council of Judges and Public Prosecutors from among the members of the High Court of Appeals shall take place within twenty days of the entry into force of the Constitution.

Until the assumption of office by the elected members, the quorum for meetings of the Council shall be met with the participation of substitute members.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 14. The obligation of the labour unions to deposit their revenues in the State banks shall be fulfilled within two years of the entry into force of the Constitution, at the latest.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 15. No allegation of criminal, financial or legal responsibility shall be made, nor shall an application be filed with a court for this purpose in respect of any decisions or measures whatsoever taken by: the Council of National Security formed under Act No. 2356 which will have exercised legislative and executive power on behalf of the Turkish Nation from 12 September 1980 to the date of the formation of the Bureau of the Turkish Grand National Assembly which is to convene following the first general elections; the governments formed during the term of office of the Council; or the Consultative Assembly which has exercised its functions under Act No. 2485 on the Constituent Assembly.

The provisions of the above paragraphs shall also apply in respect of persons who have taken decisions and adopted or implemented measures as part of the implementation of such decisions and measures by the administration or by the competent organs, authorities, and officials.

No allegation of unconstitutionality shall be made in respect of decisions or measures taken under laws or decrees having force of law enacted during this period or under Act No. 2324 on the Constitutional Order.

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 16. Persons who fail to participate in the referendum on the Constitution without valid legal or actual reasons despite being entitled to vote and being included on the register of electors and the polling station register compiled for the referendum, shall neither participate nor stand for election in general elections, by-elections, local elections or referendums for a period of five years following the referendum on the Constitution.