Is Turkey’S Democracy About To Have A Meltdown?

Could a political party with Islamist roots seize absolute power in Turkey?Is Turkey’s Democracy About To Have A Meltdown?By Cliff Montgomery – July 3rd, 2007The Bush Administration loves to discuss Iran these days. But a June 12th, 2007 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report reveals that America may be better served by confronting the crisis occurring in Turkey–a Middle Eastern nation with a large Muslim population which currently enjoys a successful democratic government.As this report shows, that success may be about to sour. We quote from the report below:“The effort of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to elect one of its own to be president of the Republic provoked a crisis. The nominee, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, has roots in Turkey’s Islamist movement and his wife wears a head scarf, which some secularists consider a symbol of both Islamism and backwardness.”Moreover, because AKP already controls the prime ministry and parliament, some argue that the balance of political power would be disturbed if the party also assumed the presidency.”The opposition boycotted the first round of the vote for president in parliament and engaged in mass demonstrations against the possibility of an AKP president. The Republican People’s Party (CHP) asked the Constitutional Court to annul the vote, and the General Staff of the armed forces warned that the military is the defender of secularism and would act if ‘needs be.'”After the Court invalidated the vote, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called early national elections and proposed [a] package of constitutional amendments, including one [amendment] for the direct election of president.”Current President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the package and parliament passed it again.”Sezer cannot veto it a second time; he can only allow it to pass or refer it to a national referendum. CHP has petitioned to the Court to invalidate the package.”In the meantime, the campaign is underway for national elections on July 22. Opposition parties are maneuvering to better combat the very effective AKP political operation. AKP and CHP may be attempting to move to the center, where most Turkish voters reside. A few other parties also have the potential to win seats in parliament.”Turkey has been democratizing in recent years, yet none of the major contending parties is consistently democratic.”The outcome of the election is uncertain. AKP may again win a majority, or only win a plurality and then have to form a coalition. The former result could provoke another crisis if AKP again tries to take the presidency. The latter could produce a compromise.”It is not known if or when the pending constitutional amendments will become effective or if they will apply to the choice of president.”The European Union and the United States have urged Turks to adhere to their constitutional processes, and warned the military not to intervene.”Turkey is a candidate for EU membership, which might give the EU some influence. Yet, that influence is limited because some European countries and many in Turkey have lost their enthusiasm for Turkey’s accession.”The official U.S. reaction to events in Turkey appeared to lag behind that of the EU. Early statements encouraged Turkey to follow its constitutional processes, while later ones added a warning to the military.”The political campaign in Turkey may exacerbate tensions between Turkey and the United States over U.S. inaction against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group harbored in northern Iraq, especially if Turkey launches a major incursion against the PKK. The Turkish military may take U.S. warnings and domestic political considerations into account in its decision-making on the issue.”The seven-year term of Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was scheduled to expire on May 16, 2007, and parliament (the Grand National Assembly) was required to elect a successor by that date.”Sezer, a former head of the Constitutional Court, is an ardent secularist who has often vetoed laws and appointments proposed by the AKP on the grounds that they conflicted with the founding nationalist and secularist principles of the state.”Since November 2002, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), a party with Islamist roots which claims a conservative democratic orientation, has controlled a comfortable majority in parliament, but its numbers fall short of the two-thirds needed to elect a president.”On April 25, 2007, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan named Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to be the AKP’s candidate for president. In doing so, Erdogan appears to have severely misjudged his opposition and contributed to one of the worst political crises in recent Turkish history.”Gul is widely respected as an effective foreign minister who helped to secure the opening of Turkey’s membership talks with the European Union (EU) in 2005 and worked to smooth relations with the United States. He promised to act according to secularist principles if elected president.”Nonetheless, secularists considered [Gul] to be a controversial candidate partly because of his prominent role in two past, banned, Islamist parties.”Like what you’re reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of thee-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!