Following the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers’ September decision on the “right to hope,” which referred to the “National Unity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission” within the Turkish Parliament, discussions emerged regarding potential constitutional reform efforts. Within this context, the scope of the Venice Commission’s possible contribution has become clearer.
Opinions are prepared only upon an official request
Responding to questions from ANF, Tatiana Baeva-Frachon, Press Relations Officer of the Council of Europe’s Media Department, stated that the Commission prepares opinions only in response to formal requests.
Baeva-Frachon said: “For country-specific opinions, the Venice Commission only acts upon request, by either the authorities of the State concerned, by one of the Council of Europe bodies (Parliamentary Assembly, Committee of Ministers, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities), by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, by the European Union or one of the authorised international organisations.”
This statement introduces a Council of Europe dimension to the ongoing constitutional and legal reform discussions in the Turkish Parliament as part of the “peace and democratic solution process.” The Commission’s potential contribution is considered significant, especially in terms of ensuring alignment of reforms with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
The Venice Commission
Established in 1990, the Venice Commission provides emergency constitutional aid to countries transitioning to democracy, and has since become one of Europe’s leading advisory bodies on constitutional law.
The Commission’s status is defined in document CDL(2002)027-e, published on the Council of Europe’s official website. According to this document, member states have the right to request official advisory opinions from the Venice Commission to ensure that their constitutional and legal reforms comply with European standards.
Experts note that if Turkey were to formally seek the Venice Commission’s opinion, the reform process could gain a more consistent and credible foundation aligned with Council of Europe standards.
The Commission’s potential involvement in this process could play a decisive role in strengthening international standards in the fields of human rights and democratization, particularly regarding the “right to hope.”