Turkey’s Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop on Wednesday called on lawmakers to draw up a new civilian constitution during the assembly's new legislative session.

Speaking to Parliament's Planning and Budget Committee, Şentop said the constitution should be "prepared with a democratic understanding and a holistic approach in line with the expectations of our nation."

Şentop reiterated that the current constitution has seen a number of amendments since it was passed in 1982.

Emphasizing that the need for a new constitution is undisputed, he added: "Thus, it will be possible for our parliament to save our state and nation from the weight of being ruled by a military coup constitution, as soon as possible in this legislative year."

The proposal for a new constitution by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is expected to be announced to the public in the new year.

Erdoğan earlier this year said that it is time to discuss drafting a new constitution. He underlined that Turkey will have a comprehensive, clear, democratic and liberal constitution to guide the country in the upcoming century, amid debates for a new civil constitution for Turkey.

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli announced that he had completed the "new constitution" proposal in May and conveyed it to Erdoğan. Then, Erdoğan appointed a committee under the chairpersonship to work on the new constitution.

President Erdoğan declared that they are "determined to present the new constitutional proposals to the nation's discretion" in the first months of next year. It is said that AK Party has mostly completed its new constitution proposal and will submit it for the MHP to review before the new year.

After working alongside MHP, a meeting has been planned with the opposition to garner support for the new constitution package, which will be released for public discussion in the first months of 2022.

Since 1982, the current Constitution, drafted following a military coup, has seen several amendments. The bloody 1980 coup, which led to the detention of hundreds of thousands of people along with mass trials, torture and executions, still represents a dark period in Turkish political history.

Erdoğan wants Turkey to have a civilian-drafted constitution by 2023, coinciding with the centenary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey.