What do New Judicial Reforms Include?
Announced by PM Erdoğan this morning around 11 am local time, new judicial reforms - known as democratization package - offer three alternatives for electoral threshold, state aid to political parties and facilitation on political party organizations.
While the speech was simultaneously translated to English and Arabic, TRT Şeş - Turkey’s Official TV network in Kurdish - aired the speech live in Kurmanji, Sorani and Zaza dialects.
Some of the highlights from PM Erdoğan's statement included:
3 alternatives for the electoral threshold
We are laying the ground for the discussion of three alternatives to the electoral thresholds.
The current systems stir criticism. However, this system is not something that AKP brought. In 2002 elections, we came [to power] with the same system. Even at the time we founded our party, we brought the need to change this system. At our 4th Grand Congress, we already declared that we would change this as a part of our 2023 vision. Several reports including the one by Wise People Commission mentioned this. Now we are taking a step forward to resolve this. We would like to bring forth three alternatives for the electoral threshold system:
* We continue with the existing 10 percent threshold.
* We drag the threshold to 5 percent and have a “narrowed” system.
* We remove the threshold entirely and implement the “narrowed” region system.
We will open these alternatives to discussion in the days to come.
State aid to political parties
We are widening the extend of state aid to political parties. The current threshold of 7 percent will be moved to 3 percent. In other words, any political party with at least 3 percent of vote nationwide will benefit from state aid. In this way, more participation will take place and concurrence will be juster.
Facilitation to party organizations
We are going to facilitate the way that political parties are organizing. We are removing Political Parties Law Article 20. We are moving the necessity that all political parties must have district organization.
Co-Chairperson in parties
We are clearing the way for political parties to have co-chairpersons. We are amending the related law on that. We are also making an addendum on Election Law Article 15.
Adherence to political parties
We are clearing the way for those with election right to adhere to a political party. We will amend the Election Law Article 11.
Propaganda rights in other languages and dialects
We will enable the propaganda in different languages and dialects. We will also make it possible to have propaganda in different languages and dialects at middle elections. We will remove the law article 43 and we will also enable propaganda in different languages and dialects in pre-elections. We will also remove penalizations regarding violation with no practicality. We are bringing freedom to keyboards, we will make it possible to use certain letters.
Increased penalization on hate crimes
In the new process, we are commencing a more efficient struggle against hate crimes, discrimination and intervention on life styles.
We will increase penalization to combat discrimination. We are also enlarging penalizations on those who put barriers on the use of certain faith-related rights. The penalties will be extended up to 3 years of prison. Nobody in Turkey will be subjected to discrimination regarding their language, race, nation, color, faith and necessities of their faith. We are also forming a council to combat discrimination. We are ensuring respect to lifestyles under the umbrella of Turkish Penal Code. We will also penalize the barriers against on the realization of religious faith duties. Those who intervene others’ faith-based lifestyles by force or illegal will be penalized with 1 to 3 years of prison sentence.
“Regulation Council” for public gatherings and demonstrations
We are going to make serious amendments on Law 2911 regarding Public Gatherings and Demonstrations.
We will enable participation in the determination of public demonstration venue and direction. The regional administrator will make his/her final decision after consulting NGO representatives. We are also extending the periods. Open gatherings previously allowed to extend only 1 hour after sunset will end by sunset and closed gatherings until midnight. We are also ending the government commissariat practice in public gatherings and demonstrations. A regulation council will handle that. The council decide on an intervention providing that the demonstration will derail from its original aim or when it is no longer possible to continue that way. And they will alert law enforcement. If the council doesn’t do that, the regional administrator with highest rank will do that.
Education in different languages and dialects
In 2013, we made a similar decision regarding private tutoring. Last year, we cleared the way for different languages and dialects as selected subjects in public schools. Now we are clearing the way for the education in different languages and dialects. With a law amendment, private schools will benefit from education in different languages and dialects. The cabinet will determine a list of eligible languages and dialects. Education Ministry will make guidelines and regulations. Some subjects will be in Turkish as well.
Village names allowed to change
We will remove all the legal barriers against the change of village names. We will clear the way for villages to re-acquire their names from pre-1980 era. We will also the name changes of cities and districts into consideration. However, we need to amend the law for that.
Hacı Bektaşi Veli University
The name of Nevşehir University will replaced with Hacı Bektaşi Veli University.
Security of personal information
New measures will be taken regarding the security of personal information. In order to implement the constitutional reforms on 12 September 2010, we will bring a draft to the parliament.
Revision on collecting aid
We will remove the barriers against the collection of aids and donations. Turkish Air Institution (THK) was assigned to collect the aid. We are ending this wrong practice. From now on, our citizens can make their donations to wherever they want.
“These changes so far need judicial amendments,” PM said. “The second section includes reforms with administrational revisions.”
Dress code in state offices
We are going to remove the headscarf ban in public institutions by revising the state dress code. We are going to remove the related Article 5 of the law.
We will only exclude TAF members and judges and prosecutors in the justice system.
National oath will be removed
We are removing the daily compulsory national oath ceremonies in elementary schools. Last year, we removed it in secondary schools. Now it will be removed from elementary schools as well.
Mor Gabriel Monastery land to return
The Turkish state will be return to its previous owners.
Roma People Institute
An institute on Roma language and culture will be established. We are taking steps forward towards the improvement of their life conditions and educational problems. We are also expediting our efforts regarding the demands brought up in Roma people workshop.
* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.