CRITICAL REFERANDUM FOR THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF ERDOGAN

CRITICAL REFERANDUM FOR THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF ERDOGAN
By Nikos Stelgia
Kathimerini 29-8-2010

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It all started last December when the Constitutional Court of Turkey banned the operation of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), on the pretext that it had close ties with the PKK. Then, the top executives of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) concluded that the structures of justice could be the biggest obstacle to the future government work and to the party."The ban of AKP is possible", stated last January, a senior member of the ruling party which he added: "The opponents of the party is determined to proceed with the destruction of the AKP. The party must respond with counter-attack”.

A few weeks after this labeling, the ruling party of Turkey passed to the "counterattack." Brought to the fore the debate on constitutional revision. In fact, the proposal to revise the constitution created by the military junta in 1982, was first on the political scene in the early years of the AKP government. At that time, many party officials said that they agreed to create a new, democratic constitution. This debate has lost its importance over the time, the AKP has turned to new political priorities. But the whole debate on the revision of the Turkish constitution resurfaced a few months after the closure of the DTP, last February. Finally, the AKP has moved to a package of constitutional review, which focuses on the functioning of the structures and mechanisms of the Turkish justice. If in the referendum of September 12 the Turkish society gives consent for this review, in the future the banning of the political organizations will not be so easy for the judicial system.

The upset Turkish justice

For their part, a part of Turkish society opposes the package that promotes the AKP. According to many top lawyers in Turkey, the sole objective of AKP is the absolute control of the judiciary in order to facilitate the adoption of conservative political and social initiatives.

But the lawyers in Turkey, expressing their opposition to amending the constitution, are often contradictory. Talking about judicial independence there are a number of unanswered questions that they fail to respond. First, why in the past they have not made clear their opposition to the junta's constitution of 1982? Secondly, why they avoid to comment about the irregularities of the structure and function of the Turkish judicial system? Thirdly, why they do not put their own proposal for a democratic and European constitution?

The members of the AKP stressing the importance of these unanswered questions, they declare loyalty to a positive outcome in the referendum on September 12. "We will reach legendary proportions," stated a few weeks a member of the Turkish government.

Whatever the objection of the Turkish judiciary system members and the expectations of the AKP, it is clear that a significant portion of Turkish society appears skeptical about the intentions of the leadership of the ruling party. Furthermore, many intellectuals emphasize that if in the polls dominate the referendum will of AKP the secular and unitary nature of the Turkish Republic will be challenged.

Strict tonnes from the opposition

Since early summer, the Turkish political leaders are moving to the rhythm of the upcoming referendum. The main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), will vote against the constitutional revision. The new party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has made clear that he favors a comprehensive review of the constitution and emphasizes the importance of a democratic constitution. The executives of the party shared the concern about the future of the secular and unitary nature of democracy.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in official positions have related the referendum on constitutional revision to the future of the national character of democracy. According to its leader Devlet Bahçeli the AKP is treacherous and obscure to the Turkishness of democracy.

Regarding the attitude of the smaller opposition parties should be emphasized that the only party which has made clear its support for the initiative of the AKP is the Happiness Party (Saadet), which maintains close relations with the cycles of political Islam in Turkey.

The Kurdish reconstructs the political field, the Cyprus issue defines new policies

At a time when the debate on constitutional revision is public concern in Turkey, the Kurdish issue appears on stage as a factor in the reconstruction of the Turkish political field.

Last week, the PKK has carried out ceasefire. Almost simultaneously, the Party of Peace and Democracy (BDP), which replaced the previous December the DTP, maintaining close links with the PKK groups, knocked on the door of the Turkish ruling party with a specific proposal. It asked the AKP to support the autonomy of the provinces where the Kurdish people are the majority in return for support of the party to revision of the constitution. If the AKP accept this proposal, there are many Turkish analysts who state that will pave the way for a major reconstruction in the Turkish political arena. But so far the AKP refuses to negotiate with the BDP. For its part, the BDP says that unless a positive response to the proposal it will abstain from the referendum.

Meanwhile, press sources from Ankara indicate that the leadership of the ruling party looks anxiously the outcome of the referendum on September 12. The same sources point out that if society supports the revision the constitution, the AKP will move decisively toward strategic change in Cyprus Issue.