Election Security Platform urges ‘active participation’ of opposition parties

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The Election Security Platform for Fair Elections, an umbrella platform of civil society and professional organizations, has released a written statement and shared its observations about the amendments that the ruling alliance is poised to introduce to the Election Law in Turkey.

Referring to the debates on the legislative proposal submitted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Election Security Platform has recalled that the meeting at the Parliamentary Committee on Constitution began on March 23 at 3.05 pm and ended on March 24 at 7.38 am. The Platform has said, "The fact that such an important issue was slided over in a single meeting that lasted for 17 hours, 33 minutes shows the gravity of the situation".

It has also raised concerns that the Parliamentary debates on the legislative proposal were closed to civil society organizations:

Even though it was recommended, no one, including the Election Security for Fair Elections Platform, was invited to the session. Only the representatives of the Justice and Interior Ministries, Supreme Election Council, Council of State, Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and Board of Judges and Prosecutors were invited as guests from outside.

The Platform has underlined that except for the Parliamentary Committee on Constitution members of the parties at the Parliament, the other MPs did not show an interest in the meeting of the Committee.

According to the statement, while 14 parties have MPs at the Parliament, only the representatives of five parties with a group at the Committee and one party without a group at the Committee attended the meeting where the election law proposal was discussed and voted on.

"The fact that the MPs of eight parties and independent MPs did not attend a meeting on such an important issue makes one think that the role and importance of the law on election safety play in election safety do not receive the attention they deserve," the Platform has underlined.

• NOTE: The Bill Foreseeing Amendments to the Parliamentary Election Law and Some Laws passed the Parliamentary Committee on Constitution. After dissenting opinions are taken down in the legislative proposal, it will be debated and voted on at the General Assembly.

'Privilege for the first party'

Noting that the legislative proposal passed the Committee without undergoing any significant changes, the NGOs have shared its observations regarding the election law draft after examining it.

"It is understood that a regulation that will serve as a provincial electoral threshold and usurp the right of representation of others by offering a privilege to the first party is foreseen; there is an attempt to eliminate the senior judges; and the practices that were seen in the previous Presidential elections will be legitimized," the Platform has underlined.

Emphasis on 'participation in the process'

The statement of the platform has also criticized the attitude of the opposition in the face of these intended amendments to the Election Law.

"That the government closes the Election Law Proposal to the voice and participation of the people prevents a democratic election from taking place," the Platform has noted and added, "The opposition parties' confidence in winning the elections no matter what the government does should not overshadow the election law defining the fairest possible environment".

Against this backdrop, the Platform has warned that "it needs to be especially considered that several voters with no chance of being represented at the election left may stay away from the ballot box".

The NGOs have underlined that it is important for the oppositipn parties that did not attend the Committee meeting to actively participate in the process from then on, to ensure the participation of their voter base and to realize the party-voter unity for a fair election.

Cooperation between parties and voters

The statement of the Platform has underlined that all parties should act together: "We know it from past experiences that cooperations going beyond parties and voters were effective in hindering several law provisions or legislative proposals under the roof of the Parliament".

The undersigned / Platform members: DİSK / KESK / TMMOB / TTB / SODEV / Alevi Bektashi Federation (ABF) / Association for Monitoring Equal Rights / Rights Initiative Association / Human Rights Association / Union of Ankara University Political Science Graduates / METU Alumni Association / Anıtpark Forum / Anti-Capitalist Muslims / Unity for Democracy (DİB) / East and Southeast Associations Platform (DGD) / Rights and Justice Platform / Not Without You Movement / Citizens' Initiative (AS/SD)