Will Turks go to booths on Sunday?
Just days before Sunday’s referendum, indications are that the participation rate will be very low.
It is no big news to say that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was wrong in insisting to go ahead with the Sunday’s referendum on the constitutional amendments which, among other things, offers Turkey to popularly elect its future president. Again, I am confident that I would be sharing sentiments of many people if I say that it was unfortunate for the High Electoral Board (YSK) to go ahead with Sunday’s referendum despite all clear violations of the law making principles and the principle of equality. It was wrong for President Abdullah Gül to act like a notary and approve the legislation withdrawing two provisional articles of the constitutional amendment package – the removal of which have saved his presidency – in the middle of a night immediately after the parliamentary legislation on the issue reached the presidential office, even without waiting the next morning.
It was unfortunate that the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which collaborated with the ruling AKP in legislating this crooked package, has now woken up from deep sleep somehow and declaring that MHP’s vote in Sunday’s referendum would be “brown,” meaning “no.”
Turkey has definitely made history with these developments. This country will be remembered for becoming the first-ever country that has amended an amendment package the legislation process of which was not yet completed. We have made an amendment to an amendment while the process for the completion of the legislation of the amendment was still half way through. This cannot be democracy. It can only be AKPocracy: A regime of “I know everything far better than all… I set the laws… If I don’t like them, I just brush them off and no one can ask me to give an account why I did so.” Of course there is a term in political jargon for such behavior, but I would not use it out of my fear not to face the court under Turkish Penal Code’s notorious article 301. You see, we have press freedom in this country; the freedom to praise the government but not to criticize it.
Well, the AKP has achieved all these exemplary works of AKPocracy in front of the watchful eyes of the Turkish nation. Yes, in front of the eyes of the millions of people whose one of two, almost, voted for the AKP in the last election and brought back the AKP to power with a high 46 plus percent of the vote. The ruling party since the election night is behaving as if it has become a demi-God in this country. It is behaving with an understanding that it has the majority and can do everything, to the extend of even amending and amendment as long as it serves its own interests.
But, the people did not vote to create a demi-God in the country. People voted for stability. People voted for hope… It was unfortunate but the reality of Turkey on July 22 that apart from the AKP there was not any other party selling hope. The social democratic – as we assume so – party was selling fear, while the center-right parties were in appalling extended foreplay after a failed engagement. The nationalists were not trusted either. AKP benefited from the conditions of the day, thanks to military outbursts as well.
Legitimacy problem
But, Turkish people are no fools. At least that’s what we believe and indeed the expressed disinterest of the nation to the upcoming referendum is perhaps a demonstration of that.
What will happen now if, let’s say, some 20 or 30 percent of Turks go to the referendum booths and the rest stays away. I won’t say they will boycott it, because many people are just unaware that there is a referendum on Sunday.
The YSK has already declared with its decision to continue the referendum as scheduled that it couldn’t care less about the votes of some 20,000 people who so far cast their votes at border gates. Will it say a 30 or even 49 percent participation is enough to provide legitimacy to the results of the referendum?
I do not want to say that the YSK, one of the high courts of the country, decided under duress of the government. But, I must say I am having difficulty in reconciling with the notion of law – put aside the norms of democracy – the YSK decision to continue the referendum process…
I must say, despite all my opposition I will be at the polling booth on Sunday. Will I vote “Yes” or “No”? Although I am for the popular election of the president and a reduced four-year parliamentary tenure and some other contents of the package, my inclination is to vote “No” and declare my opposition to the anti-democratic nature of this process.
Turkey cannot afford such a totalitarian understanding in administration. The only consolation is my firm belief that this nation can make mistakes but never insists on mistakes. It will correct its mistake sooner or later and restore normalcy within democracy.