BDP open to dialogue on Turkish reform package

As the ruling party's Suat Kılıç denies allegations that the AKP brought a proposal to the main opposition party for a possible deal on constitutional reform, Turkey's pro-Kurdish party signals it may reconcile with the ruling party if the AKP accepts its demands

The close vote on the government’s proposed constitutional amendments in Parliament’s General Assembly has pushed the ruling party to pursue possible deals with other parties in order to pass its reform package.

The General Assembly started discussing the constitutional amendment package on April 19; the week-long debate has been marked by tension between the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and the country’s opposition parties.

The first round of parliamentary discussions and the voting process on the package seem to have indicated that there are more dissidents within the AKP than the party expected. Articles in the package narrowly passed the General Assembly with counts of between 333 and 337 votes.

Though the individual articles do not need to garner the minimum 330 votes in the first round, the AKP must receive at least 330 votes on each article during the second round in order to pass the package through the General Assembly.

Because Parliament Speaker and AKP deputy Mehmet Ali Şahin is prevented from voting, the ruling party can participate in the voting process with only 335 deputies, a situation that has led the AKP to search for possible compromises with the opposition parties.

Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek signaled this search Thursday, saying the party is open to possible compromises if reasonable proposals are brought to them.

NO DEAL WITH CHP

Recent allegations that the AKP brought a new proposal to the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, to separate two controversial articles on the judiciary from the rest of the package have heated up political calculations in the midst of the voting process.

The AKP and the CHP have reportedly been in dialogue several times on possible alternatives. The CHP has claimed that the AKP suggested separating the two controversial articles, which deal with the restructuring of Turkey’s judges and prosecutors’ board and its top court, from the package.

The AKP’s Suat Kılıç, however, denied these allegations, saying the party had not made such a proposal to the CHP or other parties, including the Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, and the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP.

The BDP’s Sırrı Sakık reportedly met Thursday with some AKP deputies, including Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, to discuss the reform package.

Although the AKP does not want to give the impression that it has created an “alliance” with the BDP in order to avoid difficulty during a possible referendum process, the BDP appears inclined to a possible deal with the AKP if it accepts some of the pro-Kurdish party’s demands.

The BDP’s Bengi Yıldız said the party may lend its support to the package in the second round if the AKP makes some amendments to the Turkish penal code and the country’s anti-terror law.

Thursday’s discussions meanwhile addressed three articles, dealing with the establishment of an ombudsman system, allowing deputies to remain in Parliament until the end of the legislative term even if their party is disbanded and the regulation of the duration of the Parliament’s Supreme Council.  

The discussions in the General Assembly will continue Saturday.