SINGLE MAN OR DEMOCRACY?
The constitutional amendment drafted by the AKP with Bahçeli’s support is before parliament. MPs to vote on Turkey’s future.
cumhuriyet.com.trTHE MARATHON STARTS
Debate will commence this week in parliament on the proposed constitutional amendment invoking a model in which the president assumes legislative, administrative and judicial powers. The debate on the constitution will take the form of two rounds. If the entire proposal attains 330 ‘yes’ votes the proposal will have been accepted subject to a referendum.
CONCERNS OVER DESERTIONS IN THE AKP
Tactical battles will be witnessed in the voting on constitutional change. The AKP will maintain tight control over its MPs to prevent desertions. The only certainties in the MHP appear to be Bahçeli’s ‘yes’ and five MPs’ ‘no’ votes. The CHP will vote ‘no’ and will fight to resist pressure from the AKP ranks.
DRAFT TO HAND POWER OVER TO ERDOĞAN
SAMİ SELÇUK: Any literate person can easily understand that this draft constitution, far from preventing the reins of power from being held in one hand, rather hands power to a future single person that it deems to be ‘infallible’ under the lie that ‘tutelage will be ended.’
KILIÇDAROĞLU
The goal is a totalitarian regime
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said that, if the constitutional amendment is approved, Turkey will turn into a single-party state. Kılıçdaroğlu, pointing out that the AKP wishes to transform a democratic parliamentary regime into a totalitarian regime, said, ‘We will never surrender Turkey to totalitarian thinking.’