Constitutional amendments package heading for referendum
Constitutional amendments package heading for referendum
The constitutional amendments package was passed on Thursday 6 May in the Turkish parliament and sent to President Abdullah Gül on Friday for his approval. The president approved the package on Wednesday and now the path is clear for the referendum process to start.
The package was approved by deputies with a 336 - 72 vote and would possibly now be sent to the public for the final word. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan said the referendum results would be a turning point for Turkey and congratulated deputies in his Justice and Development Party (AKP) for, he said "writing their names into history".
The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), however, is still trying to secure the 110 votes needed to ask the Constitutional Court to annul the amendments.
“Those in the opposition and the media who attacked our party couldn’t hide their admiration for the solidarity of the AKP deputies. Now [the package] will be in the hands of its real owners,” Erdoðan said.
It took 14 days of discussions and two rounds of voting on each of its articles, for the package to be finally passed on Thursday 6 May. Article 27, which anticipates that the amendments will be voted as a whole package in the referendum, passed Parliament with 336 votes during the second round.
In a speech delivered at a youth symposium in Ankara, Erdoðan harshly criticised the opposition’s approach to the proposed amendments. He accused the CHP, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) of establishing an alliance of “status-quo seekers”.
In his speech the Prime Minister didn't spare anyone. Talking about Article 8 of the package, which would have made party closures more difficult, he referred to the imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, saying: "Do you know why the BDP did not vote in favour of it? Because they want their party closed down; that’s how they get political gain".
Commenting on the whole process of debate in parliament, co-chair of the BDP, Selahattin Demirtas pointed out at the non-listening attitude by the government. As the BDP proposals were not at all taken under consideration by the government the party deputies decided not to participate in the vote. The BDP had pointed out the lack of measures and changes in the constitutional amendments package in relation to various subjects included, the heavy sentences handed down to children for throwing stones (punished under the anti-terrorist legislation), the lifting of the 10% barring at the elections, the much needed changes as to freedom of expression and thought. None of these issues have been addressed by the government proposed package, said the BDP deputies. The AKP did not take any of the BDP's remarks under consideration. The co-chair of the BDP, Selahattin Demirtas in a statement he made on Wednesday underlined that the fact that no remarks had been considered by the government indeed open the way to a boycotting of the referendum by the BDP. Demirtas said, "If the AKP government does not signal any change in its attitude, then maintaining the position we had in the parliament at the polling station, would be quite normal."
Now that President Gül has approved the package, the decision will be published in the Official Gazette and the referendum process will start. The president is obliged to take the package to a referendum as a whole in line with the Constitution since it passed with between 330 and 367 votes in Parliament.
The referendum is likely to take place in July.
The package was approved by deputies with a 336 - 72 vote and would possibly now be sent to the public for the final word. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan said the referendum results would be a turning point for Turkey and congratulated deputies in his Justice and Development Party (AKP) for, he said "writing their names into history".
The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), however, is still trying to secure the 110 votes needed to ask the Constitutional Court to annul the amendments.
“Those in the opposition and the media who attacked our party couldn’t hide their admiration for the solidarity of the AKP deputies. Now [the package] will be in the hands of its real owners,” Erdoðan said.
It took 14 days of discussions and two rounds of voting on each of its articles, for the package to be finally passed on Thursday 6 May. Article 27, which anticipates that the amendments will be voted as a whole package in the referendum, passed Parliament with 336 votes during the second round.
In a speech delivered at a youth symposium in Ankara, Erdoðan harshly criticised the opposition’s approach to the proposed amendments. He accused the CHP, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) of establishing an alliance of “status-quo seekers”.
In his speech the Prime Minister didn't spare anyone. Talking about Article 8 of the package, which would have made party closures more difficult, he referred to the imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, saying: "Do you know why the BDP did not vote in favour of it? Because they want their party closed down; that’s how they get political gain".
Commenting on the whole process of debate in parliament, co-chair of the BDP, Selahattin Demirtas pointed out at the non-listening attitude by the government. As the BDP proposals were not at all taken under consideration by the government the party deputies decided not to participate in the vote. The BDP had pointed out the lack of measures and changes in the constitutional amendments package in relation to various subjects included, the heavy sentences handed down to children for throwing stones (punished under the anti-terrorist legislation), the lifting of the 10% barring at the elections, the much needed changes as to freedom of expression and thought. None of these issues have been addressed by the government proposed package, said the BDP deputies. The AKP did not take any of the BDP's remarks under consideration. The co-chair of the BDP, Selahattin Demirtas in a statement he made on Wednesday underlined that the fact that no remarks had been considered by the government indeed open the way to a boycotting of the referendum by the BDP. Demirtas said, "If the AKP government does not signal any change in its attitude, then maintaining the position we had in the parliament at the polling station, would be quite normal."
Now that President Gül has approved the package, the decision will be published in the Official Gazette and the referendum process will start. The president is obliged to take the package to a referendum as a whole in line with the Constitution since it passed with between 330 and 367 votes in Parliament.
The referendum is likely to take place in July.
