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TURKEY TO MAKE A DIFFICULT CHOICE AT A CRITICAL TIME
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Aug 9 2014
More than 52 million Turkish voters are to make their choice for
their next president for the first time in country's political history.
Before a political crisis in 2007 between the government and the
military, it was Parliament that used to elect the president.
Following that crisis, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had decided
to go for a referendum over popular vote that was approved by nearly
70 percent.
Now, people will vote through a two-round election for a president to
serve for a five-year term who could be a candidate for a second time.
In another words, the 12th President if he (since there are no female
candidates) is elected as the 13th, as well will have his term until
2024 and will celebrate the 100th year of the Turkish Republic as
the head of the state, something having symbolic value for Turkish
citizens.
Will Turkey mark its 100th year under the current political regime,
or will it shift from a parliamentary system to a strong-presidential
system? That is a valid question, as PM Erdogan, as the leading
candidate for replacing the incumbent President Abdullah Gul has
structured his propaganda on the latter. He is for a stronger
president to having a say on the government's daily politics, but
subject to lesser checks-and-balances, which triggered the question,
inside and outside of Turkey, as to whether he has started developing
an authoritarian attitude. Erdogan denies that and defends himself by
saying neither the judiciary, nor legislation and bureaucracy should
obscure the capacity of executive power sourcing from people.
If the power from the people exceeds 50 percent, even with just one
vote, Erdogan would be elected in the first round on Aug. 10; if not
he and the seemingly closest candidate Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoglu will
compete in the second round Aug. 24 for simple majority in order to
assume the post on Aug. 28.
The third candidate, Selahattin DemirtaÅ~_, who is the candidate
mainly addressing the Kurdish problem, but receiving support from
the Turkish left as well, is trying to get at least 10 percent of the
votes; not enough for the second round - if there is one - but would
be enough to carry the issue to a more legalistic political platform.
Ä°hsanoglu's propaganda, as supported by a number of political
parties, but especially the two major ones, is the president should
have symbolic value and oversee the harmony of the state in general,
but leave state affairs to the government and Parliament, as it has
been the case in Turkey so far.
That is why does Erdogan use his "Old Turkey, New Turkey" metaphor. He
is right in a way: That is the choice Turkey will make; either for a
stronger presidential rule or a stronger parliamentary/government rule.
That choice is going to be made at a very critical time, when extremely
critical cracks are observed in the political geography surrounding
Turkey, from the extremely explosive situation in Syria and Iraq,
to the Ukraine-Russia crisis and to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
as well as reactivated tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia. That's
why Turkey's choice will have reflections on regional politics as well.
August/09/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-make-a-difficult-choice-at-a-critical-time.aspx?PageID=238&NID=70164&NewsCatID=409
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Aug 9 2014
More than 52 million Turkish voters are to make their choice for
their next president for the first time in country's political history.
Before a political crisis in 2007 between the government and the
military, it was Parliament that used to elect the president.
Following that crisis, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had decided
to go for a referendum over popular vote that was approved by nearly
70 percent.
Now, people will vote through a two-round election for a president to
serve for a five-year term who could be a candidate for a second time.
In another words, the 12th President if he (since there are no female
candidates) is elected as the 13th, as well will have his term until
2024 and will celebrate the 100th year of the Turkish Republic as
the head of the state, something having symbolic value for Turkish
citizens.
Will Turkey mark its 100th year under the current political regime,
or will it shift from a parliamentary system to a strong-presidential
system? That is a valid question, as PM Erdogan, as the leading
candidate for replacing the incumbent President Abdullah Gul has
structured his propaganda on the latter. He is for a stronger
president to having a say on the government's daily politics, but
subject to lesser checks-and-balances, which triggered the question,
inside and outside of Turkey, as to whether he has started developing
an authoritarian attitude. Erdogan denies that and defends himself by
saying neither the judiciary, nor legislation and bureaucracy should
obscure the capacity of executive power sourcing from people.
If the power from the people exceeds 50 percent, even with just one
vote, Erdogan would be elected in the first round on Aug. 10; if not
he and the seemingly closest candidate Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoglu will
compete in the second round Aug. 24 for simple majority in order to
assume the post on Aug. 28.
The third candidate, Selahattin DemirtaÅ~_, who is the candidate
mainly addressing the Kurdish problem, but receiving support from
the Turkish left as well, is trying to get at least 10 percent of the
votes; not enough for the second round - if there is one - but would
be enough to carry the issue to a more legalistic political platform.
Ä°hsanoglu's propaganda, as supported by a number of political
parties, but especially the two major ones, is the president should
have symbolic value and oversee the harmony of the state in general,
but leave state affairs to the government and Parliament, as it has
been the case in Turkey so far.
That is why does Erdogan use his "Old Turkey, New Turkey" metaphor. He
is right in a way: That is the choice Turkey will make; either for a
stronger presidential rule or a stronger parliamentary/government rule.
That choice is going to be made at a very critical time, when extremely
critical cracks are observed in the political geography surrounding
Turkey, from the extremely explosive situation in Syria and Iraq,
to the Ukraine-Russia crisis and to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
as well as reactivated tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia. That's
why Turkey's choice will have reflections on regional politics as well.
August/09/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-make-a-difficult-choice-at-a-critical-time.aspx?PageID=238&NID=70164&NewsCatID=409