TIME cover: Turkey's Great Divide
Turkey's Great Divide
..................And nowhere do the fault lines run deeper than among young Turks. A generation not previously known for its activism is rallying around secularist, pro-Islamic or nationalist flags in unprecedented numbers — a political awakening attributed by some to the ideological currents of the present campaign. Their convictions and involvement are key in a nation where nearly 70% of the population is now under 35, the highest proportion among industrialized economies. And political parties are making tremendous efforts to woo the young. An attempt by the AKP to lower the age of eligibility for a seat in parliament from 30 to 25 just narrowly missed being implemented. "We are forcing them to get involved," Gul told TIME. "They are the future of this country." Mark Parris, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey now at the Brookings Institution in Washington, says 2007 is pivotal: "This could define the kind of country that Turkey is for a generation." ........
Election doldrums by Ariana FERENTINOU
In the second smallest member of the nostalgic cluster of Prince's Islands, where I am currently living, nothing would disturb our lazy lives this July. Not even the general elections in two weeks time....
Mitch Potter
ISTANBUL–These are topsy-turvy days for the unfinished business that is Turkish democracy, where the struggle for crucial parliamentary elections in eight days boils down to a contest of mosque versus military."
TheStar.com - News - Military, mosques battle for Turkey
Presidential Elections
The political impasse surrounding the presidential elections in Turkey continues. Following the Constitutional Court ruling, the AK Party unexpectedly stepped back, saying that it wants the newly formed government to elect the next president. However, upon the proposal of the opposition leader Baykal that the new president should be someone outside the parliament, PM Erdogan blamed Baykal for not being cooperative and decided to leave the last word to the public. If the people elect the new president, the new parliament will need to pass an urgent law allowing the election of the president by popular vote. It seems that, apart from forming the new government, this parliament is expected to assume many important roles, including deciding on how to elect the new president, whether to cross into Iraq, and how to continue accession negotiations with the European Union."
More:German Marshall Fund Blog » Blog Archive » Update on Turkish elections
"The Turkish Elections 2007: A Dilemma by Dimitris Tsarouhas
In less than two weeks from now, the Turkish people will elect a new Parliament and government. The elections’ outcome is bound to have significant repercussions on a number of fronts, not least Turkey’s EU vocation. On the other hand, predictions about the possible outcome are almost impossible: opinion polls tend to be unreliable and the rather weak structure of political parties makes their precipitous rise as likely as their electoral collapse from one election to another. Turkish elections are never boring."
More:The Turkish Elections 2007: A Dilemma
Commission seeks to modernise school education
| After repeated calls to modernise European higher learning, in support of the Lisbon Strategy, the Commission is now seeking stakeholders' input on how to modernise school education. |
VIA TurcoPundit
From Vox, borders, language, and the future of European integration: Insights from the 19th century Habsburg Empire. A review of The Primacy of Politics: Social democracy and the making of Europe’s twentieth century by Sheri Berman. Who are the citizens of Europe? Current citizenship laws in the European Union vary dramatically. The tension between freedom of movement and national self-determination of citizenship within the EU has the potential to create serious conflicts in the future, writes Rainer Bauböck. From Ovi, an essay on Europa as the Return of the Gods (and part 2). Internal market vs. Scandinavian welfare: The building of a new school in Sweden opens up the debate on the social and economical structure of the EU...
EurasiaNet Turkey: PKK Leader Talks Tough in the Face of Turkish Military Action
Morgan Stanley Turkey
Gains and Pains by Serhan Çevik Turkey’s unprecedented progress in the last five years may not be enough to ensure stability. Turkish voters have occasionally exhibited symptoms of ‘irrationality’ in voting behavior. Not every government would maintain institutional and economic progress.
Michael Rubin Will Turkey Have an Islamist President?
