HÜDA Boss?

Issue #226

First, they banned real çiğ köfte. Then, it was Beypazarı. Now, it’s Eyüp Sabri Tuncer kolonya. EU are treading a fine lime, my friend.

In this week’s recap:

• HÜDA PAR vs. Constitution

• Funeral held for activist killed in West Bank

• US diplomacy wave in Turkey

• Domestic and diplomatic wraps

• TKP ends leftist fragmentation

Also from us this week:

Anna Montraveta Riu reports on Turkey’s increasing use of “voluntary returns” for Syrian refugees.

HÜDA PAR for the course in this week’s discourse. Source

Roses are red,
violets are blue,
Autumn comes with constitution talks in Turkey,
in addition to flu.

After three complete overhauls and countless amendments, the Turkish Republic's search for a better constitution continues more than 100 years after its establishment.

While AKP is expected to continue its drive for a new constitution after parliament re-opens on Oct. 1, Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu, the leader of the Kurdish-Islamist party HÜDA PAR, elevated the tensions on the topic to a new level last Thursday.

Yapıcıoğlu suggested removing the fourth article of Turkey's constitution on the anniversary of the Sept. 12, 1980 coup, drawing wide criticism from the main opposition party.

The first three articles of Turkey's constitution lay out the country's basic principles as a democratic, secular, and social republic governed by the rule of law, with Turkish as its official language and Ankara as its capital. The fourth article guarantees that the first three are irrevocable and unchangeable.

"We are not against everything [the first three] articles mention," Yapıcıoğlu said on a TV show. "[Yet] having unchangeable articles is not acceptable regarding the technicality of law or political and philosophical discourses."

While Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and AKP spox Ömer Çelik said polemics about the first four articles were not on their agenda, several CHP politicians, including party's head Özgür Özel, accused Yapıcıoğlu of yearning for a non-secular monarchy instead of a secular republic.

Özel described HÜDA PAR as a "germ" and directed his criticism towards the MHP, the Kurdish party's ally in the People's Alliance.

"What do you say about this issue, Devlet Bey?" Özel asked Monday, referring to the MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli.

The answer came from MHP VP Semih Yalçın one day later. Yalçın accused Özel of deflecting the discussion and said that MHP's sensitivity about the first four clauses of the constitution is unquestionable.

Researcher Reha Ruhavioğlu told Turkey recap that Yapıcıoğlu's comments along with discussions about the unchangeable articles of the constitution are not new, and the party was never shy about their views.

"It's not the first time HÜDA PAR mentioned this issue," Ruhavioğlu said. "Yet, since there are currently no meaningful, juicy discussions in Turkey, it has become an important topic.”

According to Ruhavioğlu, the main opposition party sees this as an opportunity to attack AKP through their coalition partner.

"HÜDA PAR does not have the power to achieve what they've been wanting, but the opposition uses their words as a tool to attack the AK Party in the eyes of nationalist voters," Ruhavioğlu said.

“But everyone should be careful when opening discussions about identity and values. This kind of discussion hinders CHP’s ability to reach a broader base,” he added.

– Gonca Tokyol

Mehmet Suat Eygi pictured with CHP chair Özel and Gelecek chair Davutoğlu. © CHP

Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi: Funeral held for activist killed in West Bank