The 5^th Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice (“WCCJ”) themed "Constitutional Justice and Peace" was hosted by the Constitutional Court of Indonesia between 5-7 October 2022. Constitutional courts or equivalent institutions from 94 countries attended the Congress.

In representation of Türkiye, Mr. Zühtü Arslan, President of the Constitutional Court, Mr. Selahaddin Menteş, Justice of the Constitutional Court, and Mr. Murat Şen, Secretary General of the Constitutional Court, participated in the Congress.

On the first day of the Congress, President Arslan delivered a speech as the keynote speaker at the session "Application". Delivering his speech under three headings, President Arslan conceptually dwelled on the direct and indirect contributions of the constitutional jurisdiction to the maintenance of social peace. Stating that diversity was one of the inescapable and permanent feature of human societies and that constitutions could not remain indifferent to this fact, President Arslan emphasized that the constitutional jurisdiction can make a great deal of contribution to appeasing social tension and sustaining social peace when it could duly fulfil  its functions of curbing the excessive political power and protecting fundamental rights and liberties.

He further explained the role undertaken by constitutional courts in preventing or resolving social conflicts, by making a reference to certain decisions, in the light of the responses provided by the member countries of the WCCJ. In this context, pointing to the different approaches on the headscarf issue, which are reflected in the court decisions in Germany, France and Türkiye, President Arslan noted that ultimate success of maintaining social peace was predicated on the just and rights-based decisions.

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye was elected as a member of the Bureau, the executive body of the WCCJ, at the General Assembly held on the second day of the Congress. The Turkish Constitutional Court will assume this duty for three years.

Click for the keynote speech delivered by President Zühtü Arslan.

Click for the Bali Communiqué adopted at the end of the 5th Congress