BY SUKRU KUCUKSAHIN
HURRIYET- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will face important decisions in the new legislative term due to begin in October. Parliament will choose its leaders anew. Justice and Development Party (AKP) members assuming these leadership roles will keep them through the next general elections. The current leaders bear the stamp of Abdullah Gul [who led a ‘caretaker’ AKP administration from November 2002 until March 2003, when Prime Minister Erdogan became premier]. Therefore new choices can carry messages.
The decision of Erdogan everyone is guessing about is his choice for the new Parliament speaker. His choice will either silence some complaints or fuel discussions about Bulent Arinc, the current speaker Bulent Arinc. The surprising thing is that Arinc is not a candidate. Signaling his disfavor for some deputies, Erdogan will throw his weight behind others.
However strong his decisions are, Erdogan may not be able to prevent some jolts in his party. Erdogan shifting favor to his old friends while punishing other deputies could spur new discussions about the AKP’s image. The public doesn’t expect a split in the AKP, but Erdogan’s choices in October could pave the way for such a split. According to some party sources, Turkey’s stand-by decision with the International Monetary Fund could be the reason for an early change in the Cabinet. The train derailment disaster could also influence this change.