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Rift Between MHP And AKP On Amending Constitution To Save AKP From CLosure
In his party’s meeting on Tuesday the nationalist MHP's leader Devlet Bahceli said that Turkey has came to a very dangerous point, and warned about danger of internal clashes, due to the polarization and increased tensions within the society. Bahceli criticized Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and other AKP officials who expressed their expectations that AKP would benefit from the recent political tensions. He said, “Turkish people's support for AKP in July 22 elections should not be perceived as a permission to give up on the constitution. The Prime Minister who defends ‘national will’ against the ‘rule of law’ must understand that this will be the arson of democracy''. MHP supported the AKP in parliament by not boycotting the presidential elections in August, and paved the way for the election of Abdullah Gul. MHP also cooperated with AKP and voted for its bill to lift the turban [hijab] ban in universities. Contrary to AKP’s expectation that this time too MHP would assist in passing three constitutional amendments to avoid closure of AKP, Bahceli refused. The AKP officials said that in the absence of MHP's support they would take their amendments - that would take away the Judiciary’s authority and would disturb checks and balances - to a referendum. In his speech Bahceli said that a referendum over constitutional amendments would deepen the current crisis, trigger clashes in the society, would lead to a regime crisis in Turkey and would mean gambling over the future of the country and democracy. Source: Hurriyet, Turkey, March 25, 2008
Posted at: 2008-03-26
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