Gov’t unveils reform package to boost democracy, headscarf ban removed

10 years ago | Posted in: Latest Politics News | 585 Views

Turkey’s prime minister has unveiled a long-anticipated package of reforms designed to strengthen democracy and keep on track a fragile settlement process to end the conflict between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the state.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters in a press conference at the Prime Ministry building in Ankara on Monday that the reform package is a result of Turkey’s long path of democratization and that it will not be the final set of amendments to consolidate the country’s democratization as it won’t meet everyone’s expectations.

Erdoğan said the package of reforms his government announced on Monday is only part of a decade-long effort to democratize Turkey. The prime minister said the package will “bolster the country’s independence” and advance freedom. He added that package is not the “first but also not the last” one that will put Turkey among “modern” nations.

He said the reform package is a critical step to stop bloodshed in Turkey.

The announcement of the “democratization package” follows the declaration earlier this month by the PKK that it had halted its withdrawal of militants from Turkey because the government had failed to take steps it had agreed to.

Kurdish politicians were seeking reforms to allow full Kurdish-language education, soften anti-terrorism laws, lower the electoral threshold to enter Parliament from 10 percent and strengthen local government.

The most important reforms include removing restrictions on the wearing of Islamic headscarves; providing for education in mother tongue; the restoration of original names of villages, districts and provinces that existed before 1980; sweeping changes in the law on political parties, including the possibility of lowering the 10 percent electoral threshold for entering Parliament; improving freedom of assembly; and other more specific rights for religious and ethnic minorities.

Aside from the Kurdish-related reforms, expected measures also included the reopening of the Halki Greek Orthodox seminary on an island near İstanbul and boosting the rights of the Alevi minority. These demands were not met.

The prime minister’s first proposal was a change to the electoral system, long criticized by the main opposition and pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). Erdoğan offered alternatives for overhauling the electoral law. He said the 10 percent electoral threshold to enter Parliament could be maintained or lowered to five percent. The proposal will be discussed when Parliament returns from summer recess on Oct. 1. The reform would likely benefit pro-Kurdish political parties, who secure a wide margin of votes in the mainly Kurdish Southeast but fail to garner enough support nationwide to enter Parliament.

Other changes were related to the law on political parties. Erdoğan said parties that exceed 3 percent of votes in general elections will get necessary state funding. According to current Turkish law, parties need to receive at least 7 percent to be eligible for state funding.

Moreover, the reforms bring more freedom for citizens to become party members. Erdoğan said the package includes the lifting of obstacles that restrict citizens from becoming members of political parties.

Another change in the law on political parties regards the language they use in their campaigns. Erdoğan said every party is free to use languages aside from the official Turkish language in promoting their campaigns and platforms.

The democratization package also aims to reduce hate crimes, bringing harsher punishment for these types of crimes. Erdoğan said sentences for crimes related to racist, hate or discriminatory speech or attacks will be increased. He noted that the suspects could be punished with between one and three years of jail time.

The prime minister said the amendments will make it easier for groups and particularly individuals to freely perform their religious duties. He said the new measures will protect religious freedom.

He noted that banned letters such as q, w and x — Kurdish letters that don’t exist in the Turkish Latin alphabet — can now be freely used.

Also among the reforms, coming months after the country was shaken by anti-government protests that stirred accusations of police brutality, were changes in the law regulating public meetings and protests. The reforms include improving freedoms and rights for assembly such as extending time periods for rallies and meetings.

Another drastic and much-anticipated reform regards education in languages other than Turkish. The reforms will make it possible for students to receive education in their native tongue in educational facilities. The schools will able to deliver education in languages besides the official language of Turkish, the prime minister said. The measure paves the way for Kurds, who have long demanded the government offer full education in the Kurdish language, to establish private schools providing education in Kurdish. Erdoğan said, however, certain lessons will again be provided in the Turkish language.

Furthermore, Erdoğan announced that the original names of villages, districts and provinces that existed before 1980 will also be restored. This includes restoring the name of Dersim, which was changed to Tunceli in 1934. Kurdish and other original names of thousands of villages and districts have been changed throughout the republican era and the new amendment will make it possible to restore these names. see more

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