Turkey:a nation, it’s not for dinner
Written on March 4, 2010
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Turkey
A Nation, Its Not For Dinner
For a fairly new nation Turkey is a fast growing and getting well deserved respect. Turkey is a parliamentary democracy under the constitution which her government conceived in 1982. She is located in southern Eurasia just north of Iraq. The executive branch consists of a president, who is elected by the national assembly for a seven-year term, and a prime minister, who is appointed by the president. Members of the unicameral national assembly are elected by the people to serve five-year terms. There is a cabinet, but the senior policy-making body is the national security council, which is dominated by the military.
The Turkish Republic was established in 1923, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The First World War, in which the Ottoman Empire took part on the losing side, signaled its end. As the Empire crumbled, Turkey rose up in a War of Liberation against the invading powers and the Sultan’s government. It was successful and resulted in the Lausanne Peace Treaty of July 24th 1923. The Republic of Turkey was declared on
October 29th 1923. The success of Turkey set an example to many nations struggling for independence in Asia and Africa. Turkey immediately followed a course of modernization and reform in every form. Despite the fact that the liberation struggle had been waged against major European powers, Turkey proceeded to establish good relations and cooperation with the West, and based her political and legal systems on modern, secular models.#
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Elections for Presidency are held every seven years. Political parties wishing to participate in elections have to fulfill the following conditions. They must have established organizations in at least half of the 76 provinces at least six months prior to the date of the election, and either have held their general conventions, or have parliamentary groups. Organizations in any province means that the party has set up organizations in at least two thirds of that province, inclusive of the provincial center. The parties are to nominate at least twice the number of deputies as are to be elected in the provinces in which they intend to run their campaigns.
According to the Constitution, the exercise of the executive power is vested in and is used by the President and the Council of Ministers. The President, who is Head of State, represents the Republic of Turkey and the unity of the Turkish Nation. The President oversees the workings of the Constitution and ensures that the state functions in order. He is elected for a one-time term of seven years from the members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) or from the Turkish people who abnormally, compared to other nations, must be over 40 years of age and are able to be elected to the TGNA.
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The Presidents job, when it comes to legislation is to publish laws, to return those laws to the Assembly for reconsideration. If he finds it necessary, he will present laws related to changes in the Constitution to public referendums. Should the whole or some of the provisions of laws, decrees with the power of law or Grand National Assembly internal regulations be considered to be in violation of the terms of the Constitution in term, to file a suit with the Constitutional Court to the repeal of such laws, decrees or regulations. Also to decide upon renewal of parliamentary elections.#
The powers given to the President in the exercise of executive power are to appoint the Prime Minister or to accept his resignation. When the recommendation of the Prime Minister comes, to appoint or remove Ministers to and from office. He must also appoint representatives of the Turkish State in foreign countries and to receive those of other states in the Republic of Turkey. Executive power includes ratifying and publishing international agreements. He must represent the Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish Armed Forces on behalf of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. In this position the President decides upon the use of the Turkish Armed Forces and appoints the Chief of General Staff.
The powers given to the President related to the Judiciary consist of appointing the members of the Constitutional Court, one fourth of the members of Council of State, the Chief and Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Military Administrative Tribunal and the members of the Supreme Council of Judges and Public Prosecutors.
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The Prime Minister is responsible for ensuring that the Council functions are held in a orderly manner, also the coordination between the Ministries are stable. Each Minister is accountable to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister ensures that the Ministers fulfill their functions applying to the Constitution and the laws, and he has the power and the obligation to take corrective measures for this very reason. The President may dismiss Ministers upon the proposal of the Prime Minister. The political responsibilities of the Ministers emerge as the result of parliamentary motion of interpellation or a motion for no-confidence.
The power to legislate is given by the Turkish Grand National Assembly, this power may not be delegated. The power to legislate is allowed in the two chambers, The National Assembly and the Republican Senate. The executive power is given to the President and the Council of Ministers, only if their actions are within the limits outlined by the law. The ability to use judicial power is to be used in independent tribunals given by the nation.#
Since World War II and the gathering of NATO, Turkey has been a part of the allied nations. But, with the recent drama and trauma that has occurred in Iraq, Turkey has been anything but an allie. The current Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogen has been wanting to send his troops into northern Iraq to prevent instability at the border despite warnings from the United States and NATO. “This,” in a speech he presented to his people, “is to prevent the influx of refugees and to quell the Kurdish rebellion of
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Northern Iraq.” He included that Ankara, the Turkish capital, and Washington had reached an agreement but he didn’t incite whether or not it included sending his troops in to Iraq or not. Germany and Belgium also warned Turkey to not enter Iraq. They threatened to pull NATO crew members currently patrolling Turkish airspace. The Belgian Foreign Minister stated if Turkey were to enter Iraq it would damage the country’s bid to join the European Union. What Turkey fears is that in the war’s aftermath that the Northern Kurds of Iraq will try to declare independence and will attempt to encourage Turkey’s own Kurd’s to do the same. The United States has ensured that it opposes the breakup and that all groups in Iraq will share the country’s resources. This taints an already strained relationship between the two nations. The US Military was hoping to send troops on a Northern Front from Turkey but the Turkish parliament refused to allow this. However, the Turkish Parliament did allow the US Military to use airspace over night to place some forces in Northern Iraq. Turkey’s means behind this is to protect her relationship with NATO and the United States. The government fears the influence of the northern Kurd’s of Iraq on the Turkish Kurd’s. A fear of a rebellion that will decrease the nation in size and numbers. Turkey’s government is just trying to keep her population and border in its current position.
In review, Turkey is a fairly new nation, conceived in the aftermath of World War I with the fall of the Ottoman Empire. She is a fast growing with her most recent constitution being brought together in 1982. Turkey is a parliamentary democracy
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governed under that very constitution. She is located in southern Eurasia just north west of Iraq. With the recent turmoil of the second United States-Iraqi war Turkey’s government has abandoned their allies and tries to protect her borders. The executive branch consists of the President and the Prime Minister. The Turkish President is elected by the national assembly for a seven-year term, and a Prime Minister, who is appointed by the president. Members of the unicameral national assembly are elected by the people to serve five-year terms. There is a cabinet, but the senior policy-making body is the national security council, which is dominated by themilitary.
