MOST LIKELY PEOPLE WILL ELECT PRESIDENT OF TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.05.2007 13:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Most likely all citizens and not lawmakers will
elect the President of Turkey. The corresponding provision is included
in the text of a bill offered by the ruling Justice and Development
(AKP) party, which aims at putting an and to the political crises. The
document was supported in the parliament in its first reading on
Monday. However, this dos not mean that it will be approved in its
second reading.
According to the current system, the Parliament elects the President
of the country. But AKP, which is a party based on Islamic ideology,
insists on direct national voting.
Last week the government declared it will hold early parliamentarian
elections aiming at putting and end to the political crises. It
means that the parliament will be dissolved in the near future and
the ruling party tries to carry out constitutional reforms till
that moment. It succeeded in gaining the support of a not numerous
left-central party, however in order to approve the amendments to
the acting Organic Law the Turkish government will need 2/3 majority,
in other words 367 votes.
On Monday 330 lawmakers voted for the document during discussions of
the bill in its first reading. If AKP does not succeed in gathering 367
votes during the second reading, the issue will be put for referendum.
By the way, the current President Ahmed Necdet Sezer has the right
to veto both the amendments and issue of holding referendum. The
bill supposes not only direct national voting but it also cuts
presidential term from seven to five years. At the same time the
acting head of state will have the right to ballot for the second
presidential term. Besides, the legislation offers to cut the term
of parliament from five to four years. The opposition insists that
it is not the time for such changes.
On May 6 opposition secular parties for the second time blocked
current Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s election as President of the
country. He was nominated by the ruling Justice and Development party.
Opposition assures he will carry out Islamic policy, which contradicts
secular traditions of Turkey, BBC Russian service reports.