’Turkey Rep’ in future plans

Köksal’s study will become the new agenda item in April because he is planning to reintroduce a new constitution draft. First item on the agenda is formation of a new office, "Turkey Representative." Previously, he made an attempt of "Consensus Commission" initiative but he had to shelve it when the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, did not agree to send any officer to the commission.

The commission did not come to life but the Parliamentary Bylaw Consensus Commission was established instead, becoming a key step for constitutional changes. Any modifications on the bylaw make some constitutional amendments necessary. Upon the need for changes, Toptan gave a directive for the formation of a scholars’ delegation consisting of experts in the subject area and launched a "narrow-scope constitutional amendment." The study will be completed by March. Following the local elections, Toptan will present it to political parties’ view. The main item is the creation of "Turkey representative."

I asked Toptan about the new constitution initiative. Toptan, recalling that the bylaw necessitated some changes, sees this as an opportunity for constitutional amendments on which parties may agree. Toptan said he would visit party leaders, immediately after the elections, present the study and ask for their help. The parliament speaker is especially hopeful for the "Turkey representative." Let’s look at the details together:

Parliament will consist of 550 deputies, 450 of who will be elected in accordance with the current system. The remaining 100 deputies will be named "Turkey representatives." They will be determined with respect to voting percentages of the parties. A deputy will represent any political party that reached 1 percent even if the party fails to overcome the national threshold. Therefore, small parties including the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, will have the chance to be represented in Parliament. Parties will be able to nominate any scientists, scholars, intellectuals, artists or businessmen or other respectable individuals.

SECOND ARTICLE

Seeking favors for an educated imam!
Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan went to Japan to visit his daughter during the Eid al Adha (The Festival of the Sacrifice) holiday. He atended the holiday prayer at the Tokyo Mosque. The imam, Ensari Yentürk, gave a sermon in Turkish, English, Japanese and Arabic. Impressed, Toptan praised Yentürk and said, "You are very successful." But Yentürk who is married to a Japanese woman and living in Japan for about four years was about to be recalled. Toptan thinking that the tour of such a successful imam should be extended is now seeking a friend in court to help Yentürk. I think the imam’s Japanese wife will be the most delighted.

THIRD ARTICLE

CHP in bold move

The CHP has made an unexpected decision on the eve of the local elections and submitted a crime report against Çankaya Mayor Muzaffer Eryılmaz for corruption claims. The opposition party is aiming to kill two birds with one stone: It has shown the public that it stands against corruption and urged the AKP to do the same for Melih Gökçek. To pave the way for AKP to nominate others instead of Gökçek, the CHP, in a way, has sacrificed its own candidate. With the message, "No way out for nominees involved in corruption," the CHP has, therefore, pushed the AKP not to nominate Gökçek.