HURRIYET- Columnist Muharrem Sarikaya writes on the current developments regarding the discussions over holding elections. A summary of his column is as follows:
The sudden press conference held by Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, who usually avoids such unplanned events, accelerated the scenarios regarding new elections and the suspension of enacting EU laws. The reasons for Bahceli’s statement that the MHP would withdraw from the government if a decision for new elections on Nov. 3 is not taken were that he believed there were some efforts to prevent the holding of elections, and the MHP wanted to show its determination on the matter. The policy pursued by the prime minister for some time was held up as an example of ‘some efforts.’ Prime Minister Ecevit, who seemed to favor elections on Nov. 3 at the leaders’ summit, announced 24 hours before a parliamentary group decision that he was against it. When Prime Minister Ecevit said that he would hold a meeting with his ministers, just after Bahceli’s press conference, there was a hubbub in the corridors of Parliament. The reason was the possibility that Ecevit would decide to resign . During the meeting with the ministers, the possibility of his resignation was in fact discussed. However, if he resigns, both the laws on election and the EU reforms will have to be suspended. The reason for such a development lies in Article 78 of the Parliamentary Regulations. ‘In the event of a withdrawal of the Council of Ministers, discussion of bills and proposals other than Constitutional amendments and changes in parliamentary regulations in commissions and the plenary session is therewith suspended until a new Cabinet wins a vote of confidence.’ The resignation of the prime minister means the withdrawal of the Council of Ministers. The commissions and the plenary session cannot work until a new Cabinet is formed. Therefore, the EU reform bills and a decision on new elections cannot be passed. The only exception is if the Council of Ministers reports to the Bureau of the Speaker that certain laws have priority. It is not probable for the Democratic Left Party to state that a decision on elections has priority. If the prime minister resigns, a new Cabinet has to be formed and receive a vote of confidence to decide on Nov. 3 as an election date. For a government to receive a vote of confidence in a Parliament made up of many different parties, a quorum of 276 has to be reached. What is more, the possibility of a quick agreement in forming a coalition government is very weak. Therefore, if Ecevit resigns, a chaos will ensue in the Parliament. The only person capable of overcoming these bottlenecks is President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who is equipped with constitutional powers to dissolve the Parliament and decide on holding new elections and forming a new government.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION