TURKEY 12 Sep 2010 Turks vote on constitutional reforms

Turkey goes to the polls on the 30th anniversary of its military coup to decide on amendments to its 1982 constitution. Drafted following the coup, it has been criticized as restricting fundamental rights and freedoms. Parliament passed a package of reforms in May that were presented as strengthening Turkey's European Union membership bid, but the secular Constitutional Court annulled changes that would have curbed the power of the judiciary and the army.

The court also ruled against an opposition bid to scrap all the measures.

Critics charge the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the moderate offshoot of a banned Islamist movement, designed the package to tighten its grip on power by extending government control over the judiciary and undermining the system of checks and balances. The package passed the parliament, but not with the two-thirds majority it needed to prevent the nationwide referendum.

Turkey's highest courts see themselves as guardians of the secular values that were at the core of the political system established by Turkey's founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The court came close to dissolving the governing party over its religious views in 2008. Among the articles annulled were two relating to the way members of the Constitutional Court and another powerful judicial body are chosen. According to a BBC report, the government had wanted to widen the selection of candidates and give parliament and the president a bigger say.

Opposition parties vow to oppose the package at the ballot box. (Written and posted Jul 2010).

RELATED READING:

Turkey's government faces referendum test (AFP 7 Jul 2010)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ih1SBrNn6ey4WqwFYw0a_jEsRVrQ

Nation will bury coup constitution at referendum (Zaman 14 Jul 2010)
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-215977-100-nation-will-bury-coup-constitution-at-referendum-says-pm-erdogan.html

EU seeks ways to speed up Turkish accession process (Reuters 13 Jul 2010)
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50092720100713