BY OKTAY EKSI
HURRIYET- The political parties' candidate lists have led some observers to try and forecast what the next Parliament will look like.
Some say that Parliament won't have as many young deputies as expected. Others believe there still be few women. Still others say that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will move to the center due to a few of its candidates whose have social democratic roots.
On the other hand, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is said to have shifted to the right, as it put some liberal candidates close to the tradition of the old Democrat Party on its list.
Analysis of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is hard to do, since it's taken a `stealth' policy. However, it's giving the impression that MHP leader Devlet Bahceli didn't allow on its list anyone who hobbled the party in the past.
I don't feel the need to mention the others, namely the Democrat Party (DP) and Motherland Party (ANAVATAN), because if they can't come together and draw up a list which will inspire confidence in their voters, it won't be necessary.
Considering all this, some questions come to mind:
For instance, we couldn't understand why (former Prime Minister) Necmettin Erbakan came back to run as an independent candidate. I think he has the devil's own luck. He was prosecuted and sentenced to over two years in prison in addition to be banned from holding public office. But then Parliament passed a special law so he could avoid jail time.
I can understand why an octogenarian ex-premier wasn't imprisoned but instead confined to his house. But it's difficult to understand how Erbakan can run for Parliament now while others are still banned from doing the same.
Another question came to mind when I first saw the lists:
Will the next Parliament have another Leyla Zana or Merve Kavakci (two former controversial deputies)? If it does, we should expect tension from Parliament's opening session.
Another issue is the disgruntled. Current deputies who didn't make the lists or weren't as high on them as they wanted could pose problems. In past years, they even went so far as to seek cancellation of the early general elections.
I don't think they will do so this time. But I think if the government wants the current Parliament to enact a law, it seems it will face a tough time. For instance, if the law to reduce the preparation period for constitutional amendment referendums to 45 days is sent back by the president, passing it again will be like getting blood from a stone."