Turkish News: Politics

Still no agreement - These pages have been carrying details of attempts to form coalition parities in Turkey for the last 9 months. Opinions seem divided as to Mr. Ecevit's chance of forming a coalition led by his DSP party. If he fails to do so he must return the mandate to President Demirel who is then likely to offer it to Mr. Bahceli, leader of the "ultra-nationalist" MHP party. Last week's attempts to form a stable government started to crumble when Mr. Ecevit's wife commented on the difficulty many party members have with the MHP's past, associated as it is with riots and street fighting between left and right wing factions in the late 1970's. The degree of confusion within the country is illustrated by the media, many papers are simultaneously announcing the failure of the parties to agree and the renewed possibility of their success. President Demirel took the not so unusual step of hinting that the public supports a DSP-MHP-ANAP coalition and the respective leaders of these parties should sort out their differences. I was alarmed and amused to read of a suggested Yilmaz/Ecevit/Ciller coalition today, that would return Turkey to the situation it was in last November. 19/05/99

DSP & MHP playing games - There is a possibility that Bulent Ecevit will return his mandate to form a government to president Demirel next week as yet another move in the power games being played out between the Turkish political parties who emerged with any influence from the last election of a month or so ago. Basically the country just has to wait until everybody has the best deal they think they can get out of their rivals and then the government that results might sit down and do some thinking about policy and stuff like that. This is the second time in 6 months that the business of governing the country has had to take second place for an extended period of time while coalition possibilities are discussed. 16/05/99

Savas still seems confident - When asked to provide more evidence showing how the activities of the FP have "incited religious hatred" Vurol Savas sent the Consitutional Court a video tape of Ms. Kavakci wearing her headscarf in parliament. He seems to think that's enough. He maybe right. 16/05/99

Coalition looking likely - After the usual round robin talks between party leaders it looks as if a DSP/MHP led coalition is on the cards. This has been the most likely result for some time and was only really threatened by MHP flexing it's newly acquired political muscles in the weeks imemdiately following the result. Although the DSP/MHP combination would not control a majority it looks probable that ANAP will sign up. 10/05/99

• DSP - Democratic Socialists, Middle Right

• MHP - National Peoples Party, Far Rightish

• ANAP - Motherland Party, Middle Right

FP threatened with closure - This is an interesting process to watch. Vural Savas, Turkey's Chief Prosecutor and a very influential man indeed, has asked that the Constitutional Court ban the Virtue Party (FP) and dismiss it's 110 newly elected deputies. This closure would be the 23rd such action since 1963. The catalyst for this long threatened move would seem to have been the appearance of FP deputy Merve Kavakci in the Parliament building last Sunday. Ms. Kavakci attended the oath-taking ceremony wearing her headscarf and this act seems to have prompted the secularist forces at the heart Turkey's establishment to react. Mr Savas seems to be a voice unopposed at present and it is indicative of his confidence that he has indicated to the Court that a refusal to order the closure of the FP could be interpreted, perhaps by others less charitable than himself, as an anti secular stance. The majority of party leaders and political figures are keeping very quiet at the moment and it is left to the press to carry the discussion. To an observer it looks as if the fate of the FP is sealed but the implications of removing a quarter of the newly elected parliament may yet slow things down a little. 08/05/99

Chronology of Islamist Parties in Turkey - here

Same old same old - Various potential coalition governments are being discussed, power is being brokered and deals no doubt being struck behind closed doors as the various party leaders, before, during and after their half hour meetings with President Demirel, continue with the familiar task of looking for good enough reasons to get on with each other. A DSP/MHP (the two largest parties currently in parliament) coalition would still be 11 seats short of a working majority and would need support from a third party. 02/05/99

Here we go... - Chants of "Get Out" rose from the benches of Ankara's parliament chamber as Merve Kavakci, FP deputy, took her seat wearing a dark blue headscarf on Sunday. Her arrival effectively curtailed the oath taking ceremony that was taking place and led to caretaker Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit accusing her of violating the fundamental principles of the Turkish Republic, "This is the supreme foundation of the state... it is not a plce to challenge the state". After a recess the ceremony was resumed, without Ms. Kavakci. 02/05/99

The Headscarf Issue - On Friday the National Security Council, a highly influential body within Turkey, warned Merve Kavakci - newly elected FP deputy - not to wear her headscarf at Sunday's opening of parliament. Ms. Kavakci had stated her intention to do so earlier in the week. To secularists the headscarf represents Islamacism and, as such, is a direct challenge to the principles on which the Turklish Republic was founded. To Islamacists the issue is one of personal freedom. There is no specific rule prohibiting the wearing of headscarves within the parliament building but there is one prohibiting their use by civil servants. The whole situation is complicated further by the political standing of the Virtue Party (FP), they lost support in the last election, perhaps as a result of taking a more moderate line, now party leaders themselves seem a little nervous at the prospect of hijacking the proceedings on Sunday with such a controversial statement. This matter has dominated the press over the weekend and as Sunday's oath taking ceremony approaches Ms. Kavakci's appareil has became the only issue. 0105/99

Take your partners please - In a move that will be familiar to those of you who have been following the Turkish political scene for the last 6 months or so, President Suleyman Demirel is once again to attempt to form a coalition government. The options this time are a little different. The biggest question to be answered is whether the coalition will be formed around or against the new force in Turkish politics, the MHP. The irrepressible Tansu Ciller (leader of the DYP), despite a poor showing in the polls, is making overtures towards Mr. Yilmaz's ANAP though many commentators feel her time in the limelight has come to an end. One thing is for sure, nobody really knows what's going to happen. 29/04/99

Those controversial election results for you...

They think its all over... - Everybody has an opinion about the results of the election. Its very easy, as a foreigner living here, to avoid thinking too much about domestic politics and what's happening in this country. The shock of the poll results has however managed to get the international community talking about events within Turkey.
The success of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has raised eyebrows for a couple of reasons. Described by the local press as ultra-nationalist, MHP is also a party with strong link with Islam, this alarms a broad section of Turkish society. The word 'fundamentalist' has been applied to the party and their is a sense that the democratic system has turned on its advocates. How justifed these concerns are is yet to be seen. MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli had the following to say:
"We are against the creation of a new front and no one should fear the MHP. Certain intellectual circles are describing the MHP as a marginalist party yet the MHP's place in the political spectrum is the focal point of the center. History has condemned the racist and fascist ideology. It is not national to defend a condemned mentality. The headscarf ban must be eased but when our female deputy enters the parliamentary premises she will take off her headscarf". 23/04/99

CHP collapse - The once influential CHP will no longer have any deputies in parliament. Party leader Deniz Baykal resigned yesterday. There have also been calls for DYP and ANAP leaders, bitter rivals Tansu Ciller and Mesut Yilmaz, to step down after their parties poor showings. There is a feeling that many parites and leaders have been punished by the electorate for their bickering and alleged shady behaviour. 23/04/99

MHP foreign policy - Pan-Turkism forms the pillar of the MHP's foreign policy program. A commitment to building relationships with the Central Asian Republics and to the preservation of The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is balanced with a scepticism regarding the importance of Europe to Turkey's future. Social, economic, scientific and cultural union in the "Turksih World" are described as "compulsory and vital" and plans are afoot to establish a Ministry of the Turkish World.
In the Middle East the party program advocates the establishment of an East Mediterranean Union, initially comprising Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Palestine, later to be joined by Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. This optimistic plan makes little mention of the current differences between some of the proposed members, stating that Qquot;efforts should be expended to solve the problems with arab countries". 23/04/99

Islam rears its headscarf - One of the first points of debate when parliament opens again is bound to be the status of the headscarg in Turkey. Although committed to a easing of the ban on the headscarf in government buildings, banks and universities the MHP has stated that it's female deputies (there are more women in this parliament than ever before in the republic's history) will remove headscarves before entering the parliament building. The FP (Virtue Party) despite making a poorer than expected showing in the polls, does have a female deputy. She has already stated that she will arrive to take up her seat with her headscarf on. 23/04/99

Manifestos - Let's play the differentiation game. In common with european politics the elections in Turkey seem to be turning into an attempt to seize the centre right. The four front runners and their election pledges are outlined below:

Virtue Party (FP) - The Islamist FP is probably the largest single party. It does, of course, run the very real risk of being a victim of its own success. A strong result for the FP could trigger a reaction from the secular powers that be (the military) and condemn the Virtue party to exclusion from politics, the fate shared by its predecessors. Virtue has pledged to reduce inflation from it's current level of 48% to under 10% in the next 3 years. This will be achieved by the state's "immediate withdrawal from all economic activity" and a reduction in government borrowing.

The DSP or Democratic Left Party is led by current Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Mr Ecevit has always leaned to the left and his party has the least enthusiastic attitude to the upcoming privatisations, seemingly inevitable though they are. The DSP pledges to give more assitance in terms of employment and social security provision to Turkeys rural areas, home to 45% of the population. The DSP has stated that it wishes privatisation to be a process from which everybody can benefit. Mr Ecevit has also stated that the party will put an end to redundancies and the formation of monopolies.

The DYP or True Path Party is led by the pervasive ex-prime minister Tansu Ciller. Last time around she infamously promised first division football to the remote Eastern provinces of Turkey. This time it's an autonomous central bank, free competition and fast privatisation.

The Motherland Party headed by former PM Mesut Yilmaz has set it's sights on reduction of inflation to 5% in the next 18 months and elimination of unemployment (currently running at 3.5 million. That's all right then.

All parties agreed on the importance of infrastructure projects, especially energy investments. Another common theme was provision for small industries, which account for nearly half of industrial production, would benefit. Commitments were made across the baord to extend the provision of public health services, to which only the urban employed are currently entitled, into rural areas.

Opinions regarding relationships with the EU are converging as the FP states it's willingness to maybe, possibly, consider, in the fullness of time, membership moves.

One issue that the parties were all pretty quiet on is preparations for the IMF monitoring programme which starts in July, runs for 18 months and could be of vital importance to determining whether or not Turkey is given the credentials necessary to raise funds overseas.

Mavericks - There have been a couple of constitutional problems associated with the run-up to the vote this year. The most important one has, I guess, been the refusal of many current deputies (MP's), to retire gracefully. Party hierarchies produce a list of candidates for the various districts within the country. The position of the candidates on the list reflects their likelihood for election, or in many cases, re-election, a low position on the list is the kiss of death. Now, as far as I can work out, it's gone a bit like this. When the lists were published, many current deputies were 'disappointed' to find that they had not been placed high up enough on the lists to stand a chance of re-election. They got together and decided to act on this and to attempt to prevent the elections taking place. The whole issue has become increasingly complicated as various factions and figureheads lend and remove their support to this and related actions. I'm afraid I'm not familiar enough with the constitution to speak authoritatively on this one.

Bunting - In the month leading up to the poll flags and streamers and stuff like that are appearing on every main street. Vacant shops and offices are converted into temporary party offices and plastered with posters of smiling candidates. Buses and vans equipped with loud PA systems trundle around broadcasting party songs and messages to anyone in the vicinity, I can hear one now as I sit and write. I can't believe this is going to go on for another 3 weeks

The YSK speaks - Turkey has an institution known as the YSK, the Supreme Election Board. This body is responsible for ensuring that the election process is, well, sensible. In the last week of March they decided that 'campaign pollution' should be controlled. To this end political parties were warned that campaign posters, notices and flags should not be on display before the 20 day period prior to the election. Once this pre-election period has begun promotional material can only be displayed in locations approved by the regional election board. Materials incorrectly placed will be removed by the district election boards and the cost of removal will have to be met by the party concerned. They didn't say anything about the songs though.

Logistic Problems - Concerns have been raised in the national press about the viability of the current arrangements made for voting. Eight hours have been allocated for the voting process. Turks will need to cast 6 ballots on the 18th and one estimate puts the time required at 26 hours. The ballot papers do not fit the prepared envelopes, and the envelopes wont pass through the slots in the ballot boxes. The ballot boxes were designed to hold 200 ballots but it has been suggested that they will only hold 70.These issues are giving rise to major concerns. It is believed that the situation will favour the Islamist Virtue Party, whose supporters are recognised as being more determined to cast their votes. If a sufficient number of votes are not cast it is distinctly possible that re-elections will have to be held.

Overseas voting begins - Voting facilities have been set up for Turks living overseas of which there are currently over 3 million. Last time around only 2.4% of Turks living outside Turkey voted. Thie may have something to do with the fact that, in order to cast their votes, voters need to go report at the voting offices which are located at border crossings and witihn Turkey's international airports.