Adjusted role for SEC in politics

Emine Kaplan

The AKP, which is also planning to amend the Political Parties Law as part of the harmonisation laws, is working towards bringing political parties into a relationship with the Supreme Election Council except for oversight into financial matters and compliance with fundamental principles of the republic.

According to the model undergoing development, records such as political party’s congresses and party membership will be kept by the SEC. The AKP, which has enacted the SEC’s organisation law, is also planning to amend the Political Parties Law as part of the harmonisation laws. AKP administration, thinking that the SEC has been strengthened in terms both of staff and organisational structure, is contemplating handing certain of the Court of Cassation’s powers, the former being the sole organ at which political parties’ registers are kept, to the SEC. Article 10 of the Political Parties Law with the heading “Political party registers” provides for the keeping of a register for each political party at the Court of Cassation Republic Chief Prosecutor’s Office. AKP administration, which has set up a subcommission into the mooted amendments to the Political Parties Law, noting that party congresses are held under the oversight and inspection of sub-province electoral boards but register files are kept by the Court of Cassation Republic Chief Prosecutor’s Office, is championing the view, “There is no need for so much bureaucracy. Political parties’ register files covering many items of business and procedures conducted under SEC oversight could also be kept by the SEC.”