New constitution formula takes shape
from Hurriyet Daily News
Parliament?s Constitutional Reconciliation Commission started writing the new constitution beginning with the section on ?fundamental rights and freedoms.?
Charter team draws first border
from Hurriyet Daily News
Turkey?s Constitution Conciliation Committee agrees on 45 titles under the Fundamental Freedoms and Rights chapter, while failing to reach an agreement on 10 titles, which include education in native languages
The presidential system and the Kurdish issue
from Hurriyet Daily News
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan revived the debate on presidential system last week.
CHP needs to change: Leader
from Hurriyet Daily News
Main opposition Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu had a message of change and ?mental revolution? for social democrats at his party.
A temporary alliance? The AKP, Fethullah Gülen and religion in Turkish politics, William Armstrong
from open Democracy News Analysis – by William Armstrong
With the Gülen movement emerging as a potential challenger for the governing AK Party, the future direction of Turkish politics will be determined by the outcome of the impending power struggle, argues William Armstrong.
With the ?Turkish model ? commonly cited as one of the inspirations for the revolts sweeping through the Arab region, and with much speculationabout the role of Islam in the newly emerging political systems in those countries, a closer look at religion?s potential future role in Turkish politics seems appropriate. Of course, it is perilous to look into the crystal ball and make predictions about the medium to long term political future of any country, and this is particularly so in a place with such a volatile political landscape as Turkey. However, at the risk of inviting egg on my face at some point in the future, I would fairly confidently suggest that Turkey will not simply ?evolve away? from politicised Islam any time soon ? as many hailing the apparent civilianisation of Turkish politics and liberalisation of the country?s economy often tacitly assume. With roots deeply planted ? most notably through the Gülen movement of reclusive religious preacher Fethullah Gülen ? it seems clear that religion will continue to play a significant role in Turkish political life, as in social life, for the foreseeable future. Whether its vehicle will remain the current ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), however, is not quite so certain.
The presidential dream of PM Erdoğan?s
from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Columnists by ERGUN BABAHAN
Since the parliamentary Constitutional Reconciliation Commission started to write the first draft of the new constitution, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has put the presidential system debate on the agenda.
On the road to Çankaya
from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Columnists by NICOLE POPE
It was just a matter of time. The debate on a presidential system that began before the June 2011 elections disappeared from the headlines for a few months. It was of course still lurking under the surface of the political agenda, as became evident when Parliament earlier this year passed a law adjusting the presidential mandate and in effect preventing President Abdullah Gül from serving a second term as head of state.
Turkey?s priority is its constitution
from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Columnists by MARKAR ESAYAN
For a while, there have been attempts to create a discussion regarding switching to a presidential system in Turkey.
News system fury personal: Arınç
from Hurriyet Daily News
The opposition parties are against the presidential system only because PM Erdoğan has the chance to be elected to the post, says Deputy PM Arınç, while CHP leader dismisses the presidential system debate as ?an artificial agenda?
Turkey: What’s Behind Erdogan’s “One Religion” Comment?
May 10, 2012 – 9:25pm, by Yigal Schleifer
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent statements that his country is united by “one religion” have caused quite a stir, drawing criticism both inside and outside Turkey. Erdogan made the comment in reference to the Kurdish issue in two recent speeches, saying what he advocates for is “one nation, one state, one flag and one religion.” (A classic nationalist refrain heard in Turkey, mostly meant as a rebuke to Kurds, is that the country has “one flag, one nation, one language.”)
Facing mounting criticism of Erdogan’s remarks, Huseyin Celik, a deputy chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said they were a “slip of the tongue”:
?One religion? controversy
from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Columnists by LALE KEMAL
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan?s remark that Turkey is united by ?one religion? has not only drawn serious criticism from within the country but also from Europe, due to its highly discriminative character toward other sects and religions. Not only Christian minorities but also those from the Alevi (Shiite Muslim) sect in Turkey reacted sharply to Erdoğan?s emphasis on ?one religion.? Western diplomats in Ankara were also appalled by Erdoğan?s remark, which they said was outrageous and that no single European prime minister or minister would dare to make such a statement.
Turkish prime minister says critics are right on ‘one religion’ remark
from Hurriyet Daily News
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has retracted his much-criticized description of ‘one religion’ as an indispensible principle for Turkey, saying those who criticized him on the issue were right.
Fabricated evidence in Sledgehammer case and the ECtHR
from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Interviews by ORHAN KEMAL CENGİZ
Çetin Doğan, the alleged leader of the Sledgehammer coup plan, along with his relatives and his lawyers, has long been arguing that some of the evidence used against the accused in the court in which Mr. Doğan and others are on trial is distorted and fabricated.
Controversial basic tenets saved for last in charter push
from Hurriyet Daily News
Parliament?s constitution-making commission has decided to keep the preamble, the basic principles of the Republic and the form of the state as the last topics on its discussion list.
Is the presidency a priority?
from Hurriyet Daily News
With or without Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the discussion about the power of the presidency is among Turkey?s priorities. Let me tell you why.
Turkish investigations cast shadow over powerful army-run conglomerate
Chicago Tribune
ERGENEKON, SLEDGEHAMMER “I think we have to look at all these investigations as a whole. Going back to Ergenekon, Sledgehammer, all of those associated cases and now with OYAK, we see that the main motive here is not to try to pursue real crimes,
Turkey launches new crackdown on ex-officers
from Yahoo news
Turkish prosecutors have ordered the arrest of at least five active duty and five retired generals along with other suspects over their alleged role in the 1990s ousting of an Islamist prime minister.
Fourth Wave of Feb. 28 Operations
from Bianet :: English
The forth wave of Feb. 28 operation began within the scope of Feb. 28 investigation today. Detention warrants were issued for 17 suspects including 11 retired military officers.
Quo vadis AK Party?
from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Turkish Pre by TOKTAMIŞ ATEŞ
To tell the truth, although I have no personal sympathy for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), I have been content with most of its practices for 10 years. The decrease in inflation rates and increase in quality of education and health services are the first improvements that immediately spring to mind.
What is the Turkish media not saying about the coup plans?
from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Columnists by ORHAN KEMAL CENGİZ
There is a large segment of the Turkish media that refers to the cases of the Ergenekon and Sledgehammer coup plans in a very interesting manner. When you read about them, you can never understand what these cases are all about; all you see is that there are certain ?shortcomings,? ?problems? and ?manipulation? in these cases.
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