THE CORRİDOR - The AKP’s autumn plan

Attempts that have not been actualized create discomfort not only among the party grassroots but also among parliamentary deputies. And that is being felt in the party administration as well. In order to eliminate the feeling, the administration is preparing for a quite serious move in autumn. And the concern that the AKP may be closed by relating the party with the Deniz Feneri corruption case has a share in it. For this reason, an “Autumn Plan” is being considered in the AKP. It will be revealed in Parliament, be brought to life afterwards and a short- and middle-term timeline will be set. The timeline, in a way, will give body to an AKP road map by the next general elections. How will it be shaped?

The constitutional change is the most important part of the short-term plan. And the most critical subtitle is “making political party closures more difficult.” With this, the AKP wants to remove the risk of a possible closure case and to make amendments in political parties and elections laws in a small change package. A 100 Turkey Representative issue may be actualized. The AKP having 338 seats in Parliament needs at least 360 votes to make necessary changes in the Constitution. For amendments having 330 to 360 votes a popular vote is the case. The AKP this time is even discussing going for a referendum. And the above attempts that were not materialized, they all are a part of the Autumn Plan.

In the autumn of 2009, the AKP is preparing for a critical commencement. But one has the urge to ask, “Why is it the autumn of 2009?” For the plans make rumors of an “early election in 2010” more possible. Is the AKP planning to kill three birds with one stone? To save itself, to make democratic openings and to corner the opposition by a rush election. We’ll see.

- The DTP might turn ‘hawkish’

The “hawks” and “doves” fight in the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, has flared up in the Central Executive Committee meeting this week. The hard-liner Emine Ayna and moderate Ahmet Türk differed about withdrawing an appointment request from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “Let’s not withdraw it” insisted Türk as Ayna and her friends drag afoot for canceling the appointment request. The hawkish wing won and the request was withdrawn. That shows if the government cannot take any solid stance in the solution of the Kurdish issue, the DTP may becp,e toughened under the influence of the hawkish wing. And Türk’s power may not be enough to prevent this hard-liner stance.

- Human Rights Emergency Service!
Turkey’s human rights grade has always been low. In order to make a change, Parliamentary Human Rights Commission President Zafer Üskül has reached a decision. The commission will continue to work even after Parliament is adjourned for summer. “We’ll continue work during the holiday. Petitions and applications are still coming in. In the human rights area, situations that may require our immediate interference may occur. For this reason, we’ll work in summer.” The commission members are joking with Üskül, “Human Rights Emergency Services are on duty around the clock.”