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RULING AK PARTY UNVEILS MANIFESTO FOR JUNE ELECTIONS
Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 15 2015
15 April 2015
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced the election
declaration of his Justice and Development, or AK Party and introduced
its candidates for the upcoming June 7 general elections.
"We aim to make a new breakthrough for both our nation and humanity
via our civilization call," he said Wednesday in a promotion meeting
at Ankara Arena Sports Hall.
At the meeting, the premier read the 100-article election manifesto
called the "New Turkey Convention," which features the AK Party's
main campaign themes such as state protection of human dignity, equal
citizenship, the drafting of a new constitution, the implementation
of a presidential system, and measures towards a human-oriented
economic development.
The premier stressed the need for a civilian constitution for Turkey,
saying that it would be first on the Turkish Parliament's agenda
should the Justice and Development be successful in the general
elections in June.
The 2015 parliamentary elections are of key importance to the AK
Party government as it seeks to work with the parliament to draft a
new constitution as Davutoglu has promised to replace the current one,
which was written after the 1980 military coup.
Above all, the election manifesto of the ruling party includes the
introduction of a presidential system, for which Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pushing in order to replace the current
parliamentary one.
Davutoglu maintained that they "deem it necessary to reconstructure
Turkey's administrative system towards a presidential system so as
to obviate the chaos of authority and actually restore accountability."
"We think the presidential system as an administrative model where
legislative and executive powers are independently active and where
there are democratic balance and control mechanisms," he added.
The AK Party does not have enough seats in Parliament to vote for
a constitutional change such as the introduction of a presidential
system.
According to the current Turkish Constitution, such a change requires
the approval of two-thirds (367) of the (550) lawmakers. Only then
can the president approve it or hold a referendum on the matter.
Turkish citizens voted in a referendum in 2007 to be able to elect
their president by popular vote.
He maintained that human rights and freedoms would be the focus of
the new constitutional order. The manifesto describes the concepts
of freedom and security as not opposing but complementary.
As expected, Davutoglu revealed the other significant part of
the election manifesto as the government's fight against the
so-called "parallel state," which refers to a purported group of
Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials embedded in the country's
institutions, including the judiciary and police, who are allegedly
trying to undermine the elected Turkish government.
"The sovereignty of a parallel state or any power that does not gain
its legitimacy from the nation is unacceptable," he said, as the
manifesto describes a nation of equal citizens as the sole source
and supervisor of the political legitimacy.
"There will remain no power that is not controlled and supervised,"
he added.
Davutoglu stressed that no horizontal or parallel organization must
be allowed to emanate within Turkish bureaucracy.
The manifesto announced by Davutoglu also brings forth equal
citizenship as principle of the human dignity.
"We are the principal owners and equal citizens of Turkey as the
descendants of those who founded the Republic," he said.
Davutoglu also dismissed in a "New Turkey" any discrimination based
on people's faith, color, gender, language, race, political view,
philosophical mindset or life style.
The manifesto also emphasizes the sense of belonging of the citizens,
calling it the main guarantee for the continuity of a state that does
not exclude or alienate any of their citizens.
"It is the sense of belonging that sustains a state, and then its
economic, political and military power that strengthens it," said
Davutoglu.
Davutoglu also called upon the opposition parties to convey their
opinions on their election manifesto.
Following the manifesto read-out, he presented its 550 candidates,
99 of whom are women, to the public.
He promoted their main election mottos "Always Justice Always
Development," and songs like "New Turkey," which has long been the
slogan of the AK Party government led by Davutoglu.
The AK Party was victorious in last year's March local elections and
its then leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed the presidential election
in August 2014. In the 2011 general elections, the AK Party received
almost 50 percent of the votes.
Approximately 56 million Turkish citizens will vote on June 7 in the
country's 25th general elections to elect 550 lawmakers of the Turkish
Parliament. Turkey had held general elections every five years until
a 2007 constitutional change which set elections for every four years.
Pope remarks over 1915 incidents
During his speech, the premier also touched upon the remarks made
Sunday by Pope Francis over the 1915 events, in which he said "the
first genocide of the 20th century" had struck Armenians.
"We are ready to talk about historical incidents but we will allow
nobody to insult or blackmail our nation over historical disputes,"
he said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned Pope's remarks
on Wednesday by saying "I would like to warn the honorable Pope not
to make such a mistake again."
Pope Francis' statement led Turkey to recall its ambassador to the
Vatican and also to summon the Vatican's envoy in Ankara.
The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted against the empire.
The Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians in eastern Anatolia following
the revolts and there were Armenian casualties during the relocation
process.
Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey has
officially refuted Armenian allegations over the incidents saying that,
although Armenians died during the relocations, many Turks also lost
their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/183533/ruling-ak-party-unveils-manifesto-for-june-elections.html
From: Baghdasarian
Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 15 2015
15 April 2015
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced the election
declaration of his Justice and Development, or AK Party and introduced
its candidates for the upcoming June 7 general elections.
"We aim to make a new breakthrough for both our nation and humanity
via our civilization call," he said Wednesday in a promotion meeting
at Ankara Arena Sports Hall.
At the meeting, the premier read the 100-article election manifesto
called the "New Turkey Convention," which features the AK Party's
main campaign themes such as state protection of human dignity, equal
citizenship, the drafting of a new constitution, the implementation
of a presidential system, and measures towards a human-oriented
economic development.
The premier stressed the need for a civilian constitution for Turkey,
saying that it would be first on the Turkish Parliament's agenda
should the Justice and Development be successful in the general
elections in June.
The 2015 parliamentary elections are of key importance to the AK
Party government as it seeks to work with the parliament to draft a
new constitution as Davutoglu has promised to replace the current one,
which was written after the 1980 military coup.
Above all, the election manifesto of the ruling party includes the
introduction of a presidential system, for which Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pushing in order to replace the current
parliamentary one.
Davutoglu maintained that they "deem it necessary to reconstructure
Turkey's administrative system towards a presidential system so as
to obviate the chaos of authority and actually restore accountability."
"We think the presidential system as an administrative model where
legislative and executive powers are independently active and where
there are democratic balance and control mechanisms," he added.
The AK Party does not have enough seats in Parliament to vote for
a constitutional change such as the introduction of a presidential
system.
According to the current Turkish Constitution, such a change requires
the approval of two-thirds (367) of the (550) lawmakers. Only then
can the president approve it or hold a referendum on the matter.
Turkish citizens voted in a referendum in 2007 to be able to elect
their president by popular vote.
He maintained that human rights and freedoms would be the focus of
the new constitutional order. The manifesto describes the concepts
of freedom and security as not opposing but complementary.
As expected, Davutoglu revealed the other significant part of
the election manifesto as the government's fight against the
so-called "parallel state," which refers to a purported group of
Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials embedded in the country's
institutions, including the judiciary and police, who are allegedly
trying to undermine the elected Turkish government.
"The sovereignty of a parallel state or any power that does not gain
its legitimacy from the nation is unacceptable," he said, as the
manifesto describes a nation of equal citizens as the sole source
and supervisor of the political legitimacy.
"There will remain no power that is not controlled and supervised,"
he added.
Davutoglu stressed that no horizontal or parallel organization must
be allowed to emanate within Turkish bureaucracy.
The manifesto announced by Davutoglu also brings forth equal
citizenship as principle of the human dignity.
"We are the principal owners and equal citizens of Turkey as the
descendants of those who founded the Republic," he said.
Davutoglu also dismissed in a "New Turkey" any discrimination based
on people's faith, color, gender, language, race, political view,
philosophical mindset or life style.
The manifesto also emphasizes the sense of belonging of the citizens,
calling it the main guarantee for the continuity of a state that does
not exclude or alienate any of their citizens.
"It is the sense of belonging that sustains a state, and then its
economic, political and military power that strengthens it," said
Davutoglu.
Davutoglu also called upon the opposition parties to convey their
opinions on their election manifesto.
Following the manifesto read-out, he presented its 550 candidates,
99 of whom are women, to the public.
He promoted their main election mottos "Always Justice Always
Development," and songs like "New Turkey," which has long been the
slogan of the AK Party government led by Davutoglu.
The AK Party was victorious in last year's March local elections and
its then leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed the presidential election
in August 2014. In the 2011 general elections, the AK Party received
almost 50 percent of the votes.
Approximately 56 million Turkish citizens will vote on June 7 in the
country's 25th general elections to elect 550 lawmakers of the Turkish
Parliament. Turkey had held general elections every five years until
a 2007 constitutional change which set elections for every four years.
Pope remarks over 1915 incidents
During his speech, the premier also touched upon the remarks made
Sunday by Pope Francis over the 1915 events, in which he said "the
first genocide of the 20th century" had struck Armenians.
"We are ready to talk about historical incidents but we will allow
nobody to insult or blackmail our nation over historical disputes,"
he said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned Pope's remarks
on Wednesday by saying "I would like to warn the honorable Pope not
to make such a mistake again."
Pope Francis' statement led Turkey to recall its ambassador to the
Vatican and also to summon the Vatican's envoy in Ankara.
The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted against the empire.
The Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians in eastern Anatolia following
the revolts and there were Armenian casualties during the relocation
process.
Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey has
officially refuted Armenian allegations over the incidents saying that,
although Armenians died during the relocations, many Turks also lost
their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/183533/ruling-ak-party-unveils-manifesto-for-june-elections.html
From: Baghdasarian