Paylan: If AKP MPs Cast Secret Vote, Majority Cannot Be Constituted

Click to read the article in Turkish /Kurdish

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP, Garo Paylan has shared the images of Justice and Development Party (AKP) MPs casting open vote in the voting of lifting parliamentary immunities.

Paylan speaking to bianet said the AKP MPs have been forced by the MPs of their party to cast open vote.

He remarked that he believes majority cannot be constituted for constitutional amendment in case the MPs cast secret vote.

Bakanlar dahil bütün AKP'li vekiller, açık oylama yapıp evet verdiklerini parti komiserlerine göstermek zorundaydı. pic.twitter.com/7XDnTC1Xop

— garo paylan (@GaroPaylan) 18 Mayıs 2016

“Almost all of them cast open vote”

Three stamps were used in the secret voting held last night (May 17) at Parliamentary Counsel. The white stamp is “aye”, the red one is “against”, and the green one is “abstention”. The MPs were supposed to cast secret vote in voting cabins.

Paylan said almost all of the AKP MPs cast open vote:

“According to the constitution, secret voting is fundamental. Precautions have been taken for MPs to act upon their free will but the AKP apparently has forced for open vote to rule out the possibility of ‘against’ votes.

“We know that many AKP MPs are not comfortable with this constitutional amendment, they wanted to vote against, they were monitored.

“Voting was taking place in two different sections, around 30 MPs blockaded each cabins. They were warning everyone voting as ‘turn your face towards me, show me your ballot’. MPs were showing that they tossed white stamped into the box and handed the green and red stamps.

“They had to hand the green and red stamps to the party commissar. In my video, it is seen that even a minister (Minister of Labor and Social Policies, Süleyman Soylu) had to do that.

“Those are a clear sign that it was not a secret voting”.

“Every MP entering the cabin knew that they would be declared traitor”

Paylan said he thinks that in case a secret voting is held in the voting that will continue on Friday, majority which requires 330 voting will not be constituted.

“As long as we cannot hold secret voting, this constitutional amendment is not legitimate. This shows that the [Presidential] Palace instructed the AKP and launched an operation to avert any ‘against’ votes at each point.

“It is a clear indication of the blow dealt on politics.

“I hope this situation changes on Friday, but I don’t see it happening because every MP entering the cabin knew that they would be declared traitor and will have no chance to do politics in the AKP. A couple of MPs trying to enter the cabin were warned as ‘turn your face towards me’”. (BK/TK)