European Parliament urges democratic consensus in Turkey

With a row between the Islamist-rooted AKP government and the secular judiciary compounding Turkey's political crisis, the European Parliament (EP) has stepped in and urged both sides to refrain from controversial moves.

By Ayhan Simsek for Southeast European Times -- 26/05/08

The EP adopted the Turkey Progress Report 2007 last week. [Getty Images]

In a report last week, the European Parliament (EP) called on Turkey's Islamist-rooted government and secular opposition to seek consensus and stick to democratic principles in order to avoid a deeper political crisis.

The key report, adopted on Wednesday (May 21st), also expresses concern about the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The EP appealed to Turkey's top court to respect the rule of law, European standards and the guidelines for liquidating political parties.

Tensions over a perceived threat to secularism have flared up at intervals since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party took power in 2002. Last year, when the AKP nominated Abdullah Gul as president, the Turkish military warned that it would defend secularism at any cost. A decisive victory in the July 2007 early elections, however, gave the AKP a strong mandate from voters, and Gul was re-nominated and elected.

In March of this year, Turkey's chief prosecutor filed an appeal to have the party closed, charging that it was undermining the secular character of the state. The suit is now before the Constitutional Court, where eight out of 11 judges were appointed by Gul's firmly secularist predecessor, Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

The row between Ankara and its judiciary heated up last week, with the Supreme Court of Appeals blaming the government for pressuring judges and trying to undermine the founding secular principles of the republic. The AKP rejects claims of pursuing a hidden agenda for Islamisation and describes itself as a "conservative democratic" party.

In its Turkey Progress Report 2007, which the EP approved by a 467-62 vote, the parliament acknowledged secularist worries. But it insisted there was no option other than democracy for solving the current stalemate and re-launching Turkey's EU process.

"[We] encourage the Turkish government to make further systematic efforts to ensure that the democratically elected political leadership bears full responsibility for formulation of domestic, foreign and security policy," the MEPs said.

The report also avowed support for a new "civilian constitution", which it called a key opportunity to embed human rights and fundamental freedoms at the core of the constitution.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, a strong supporter of Turkey's EU membership process, addressed the MEPs and expressed hope that Turkey would overcome the crisis. He requested "that a genuine political dialogue is started in Turkey and that both democracy and secularism are respected".

The report also calls on Ankara to enhance freedom of expression, guarantee the rights of non-Muslim minorities and empower women.

The MEPs additionally urged Turkey to seek a lasting settlement of the Kurdish problem.

"This can be based only on tangible improvements in the cultural, economic and social opportunities ... including real possibilities to learn Kurdish within the public and private schooling system and to use it in broadcasting, in daily life and in access to public services," it said. The EP recommended that the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) distance itself clearly from the PKK and seek a peaceful Kurdish solution within the democratic Turkish state.

This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

Inform,26.05.08