Meral Akşener’s new party promises ‘return to parliamentary system’

ANKARA

Meral Akşener, a dissident former Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) lawmaker, has pledged to lift the ongoing state of emergency in the program of her new party, which also envisages “a return to the parliamentary system and the principle of separation of powers.

“The principle of separation of powers will be maintained by returning to the parliamentary system. We will make the necessary changes, particularly in the political parties’ law, which will ensure overcoming legal and practical obstacles for representation, so that the free will of the Turkish public is formed,” Akşener has written in the manifesto of the long-anticipated new party.

Criticizing the current state of legislative practices in Turkey, the new party’s program emphasizes several reforms to overcome problems.

“There currently is the danger of the legislature and judiciary merging, rather than a separation in systems in which the executive is determined by legislative units. This system, which leads to the serious problems that we are experiencing in Turkey today, can be cured of its defects when ‘party discipline’ - which paves the way for leadership despotism - is lifted,” the program stated.

“The election threshold will be reduced to 5 percent and Treasury grants to political parties will be reduced to 5 percent,” it added.

State of emergency to be lifted

The party program also promises an “immediate removal of state of emergency rule” and stipulates a change in the constitution to “restrict the declaration of a state of emergency to a maximum of three times in one year.”

“A generalized implementation of the state of emergency much never be executed,” it said, while retaining the authority to declare “martial law” in ‘certain regions when necessary.’

“Our people’s demand for justice will never be restricted or limited against basic laws and freedoms. Tthe implementation of state of emergency laws and emergency decrees that limits basic rights and liberties will be lifted and security and freedom will be reinstated based on the principle of democratic criteria,” it added.

Counter-terrorism

The new party program also states that “security issues” that Turkey experiences today originate from the “lack of political will in an efficient and determined struggle.”

“Our security politics will not only be based on criminal measures. Contemporary criminal politics will be stated,” it read, adding that “a proactive security implementation will be applied.”

“[Terrorism] should be tackled not by the law of war, but by peacetime law. Our party supports the struggle against terror through the civil police force,” it stated.