‘No’ is the people’s campaign

CHP MP Deniz Baykal, strongly criticising chief presidential advisor Mehmet Uçum’s comment on the referendum that, ‘The people are taking a step towards founding their own state.’ said, ‘The affair has moved from changing the system of governance to a regime and now talk of founding a state. If a state is to be founded, we are heading there in a decisive manner. I mean, Turkey has not been the people’s state until today and now the people will found their state. The state of Mustafa Kemal, Fevzi Çakmak, the First Parliament, Süleyman Demirel and Turgut Özal was not the people’s state and now they are going to found it. This is not the talk of an irresponsible person but this comes from debate over the regime and they are finally proclaiming this with confidence.’ Baykal, saying there should be a threshold of at least 70% in the referendum for the constitution to be accepted, said, ‘50% plus one is coercion, intolerance.’

Former CHP General Chair Baykal said while appearing on a live broadcast that the referendum was not being held under equal conditions. Baykal, stating that the ‘Yes’ campaign was being waged with fear, said, ‘The ‘Yes’ campaign reeks of the state and its hierarchy. The owner of the ‘No’ campaign is the people. Today in Turkey, many people of different faiths and persuasions have overcome the polarisation. They are capable of uniting around the correct thing.’ Baykal commented with reference to discussion over the ‘power of dissolution’ in various articles of the constitution, ‘In constitutional law, telling an organ before its time is up, “You’re through, brother; I’m bringing your time to an end” is called dissolution. The power of dissolution is patronage and there is no such power in the democratic presidential system. This is all a game of fabrication, dodging the answer and wriggling.’

Parliament is made to kneel down

Baykal, stressing that the significance of the constitutional amendment was that parliament’s relationship with the president would undergo fundamental change, said, ‘Some of parliament’s powers cease to be powers over which parliament has a monopoly. The president with his powers of decree and his budget powers becomes a partner. With the president being a party’s general chair, this means there is a president whose hand commands a parliamentary majority as it writes. If the executive writes for half of the legislature, can a legislature be spoken of? This makes parliament kneel down before the executive. Parliament can neither ask questions nor pass legislation that contradicts decrees.’ Baykal commented with reference to the granting of budget-making powers to the presidency, ‘Personal hegemony will become installed throughout the land. A single person will make a budget running into 700 quadrillion. It will supposedly come to parliament but, as he is the general chair, it will be a shoo-in. Let us see it not being approved. Davutoğlu got so many votes but, look, he’s not there now.’

Baykal commented on where debate over the referendum has taken Turkey by saying, ‘We are in a tunnel and the tunnel is getting ever narrower and darker’ and said, ‘This business is not so simple. Social tension has taken a hold over everyone. It has become impossible for journalists to write. Self-censorship prevails. Look at single-man regimes – none of them have ended well. The state’s title deed is with the people – how can you give that deed away? Look at the fate to befall Mubarak and that to befall Assad and Saddam. They won every election, but it only went so far. In the old days, on the Sultan’s procession to Friday prayers, his face swelled up with pride as the cries of “My Sultan” rang out. Can anybody utter such a thing now? It is most honourable to win an election in a democracy, but, more honourable than this is to lose an election and be able to walk with honour among the people.’

Part of a rehearsal

Turning to the comment by chief presidential advisor Şükrü Karatepe that provoked the reaction from MHP leader Bahçeli, ‘If I had an advisor who spoke of a system of federated provinces, I would sack him,’ Baykal commented, ‘There is no point in complaining about an advisor and calling for his sacking. This is not an affair that boils down to an advisor. This is part of a rehearsal. This is also within the constitutional amendment. The president can proclaim federated provinces in a decree one morning. It will be this referendum that presses the button for the state to be partitioned. The people are the last hope.’