Kamil Pasha

In response to the closure case filed against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on March 14 by the chief prosecutor at the Supreme Court of Appeals, the AKP-led government is planning to introduce a series of constitutional amendments that will make it more difficult for the Constitutional Court to close down political parties. However, the AKP doesn’t have enough votes in parliament to change the constitution to make closing political parties more difficult, and opposition parties seem reluctant to support them, so the constitutional changes may be put up for a national referendum. The secularist opposition CHP claims such a move would in effect be an unacceptable referendum on secularism, enshrined in the unchangeable part of the Constitution.

The nationalist MHP reportedly has requested, in return for their support in parliament for the constitutional changes, that the move not hinder the closing of the Kurdish DPT, and also that AKP’s top politicians still be able to be banned, even if the party is not. AKP is unlikely to accept the latter condition. (Click here for article)

Turkish NGOs Weigh In
Photo from Milliyet

Meanwhile, representatives of the largest NGOs in Turkey have joined together to urge “common sense in Turkey”. They call for compromise in order to cool down the escalating political crisis. Participants include the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and six other major nongovernmental organizations representing labor unions, tradesmen and employers. They have formed a platform to oppose party closures and to express their concern that Turkey was now focused on political infighting instead of economic and other economic and social problems that need urgent attention. Some find their recommendations, however, to be too vague or too unlikely (e.g. for AKP to rescind the headscarf liberalization) to be effective. (click here)

Tags: AKP closure case, Politics //