CUMHURIYET- Columnist Mustafa Balbay writes on the enactment of the mini democracy package and its effects on the parties. A summary of his column is as follows:
The mini-democracy package created huge problems and has now led to serious tremors in relations between the coalition partners. The point reached yesterday showed that from now on the partnership relations would be carried out on a different level than before. However, we must state that this tremor will not shake the coalition or affect its staying power. The spirit of Article 312 is concerned with the protection of public order. Such an arrangement exists in the laws of every democratic country throughout the world. All the fuss was about a phrase, which mentioned 'the possibility of disrupting public order.' Article 159 was prepared to protect the respectability of state institutions. Similar arrangements are also present in the laws of other countries. However, the partners had added to the law crimes of humiliating and slandering the representatives of state institutions. Common sense dictated that these passages should be erased, and it has been done. During the discussion on these changes, the Nationalist Action Party didn't waver from its established stance and seems to have obtained what it wanted as a party, which stood its ground. The Motherland Party (ANAP), as an organization, which turned its face towards the EU and believes that the road to the EU passes through democratization, seems to have achieved its goal. The Democratic Left Party (DSP) felt the pulse of the public, took care not to disturb any of its partners, and tried to keep Turkey's promises to the EU, and therefore got what it wanted. It may also be said that the coalition parties acted with concern for the next elections rather than our goal of EU membership. The opposition tried to open a hole between the partners and benefit from this disagreement. There is a crack among the partners, but this is not due to the efforts of the opposition. In the coming days we may see a new partnership model opposed from within and supported by the opposition.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION