One of Turkey’s latest debates is about the judiciary. Recent developments have stimulated the discussion about the justice system’s independence and impartiality, bringing into the spotlight Turkey’s legal and constitutional system and the functioning of the principle of a separation of powers. Even though this debate gives the impression of being about the law, it is not really about it. One must not forget that the present constitutional system was imposed after a military coup and that every institution was designed by and for a military regime. Furthermore, the laws are written so ambiguously that anyone who reads them gets a completely different meaning. The debate is not about the justice system, which is in any case the legacy of a coup. The problem concerns a particular mentality and is the reflection of the struggle between elected and appointed bodies. This debate is also about those who want to perpetuate the authoritarian regime’s instruments by fomenting coup attempts. The very existence of this debate is enough to demonstrate how big the Turks’ demand for change is. In other words, for those of us who live in Turkey, the fact that these problems, which have been around for a long time, are now being debated is much more important than the problems themselves.Another important debate is about workers dismissed from Tekel, Turkey’s recently privatized alcohol and tobacco monopoly. It’s obvious that this entire process was mismanaged and that the workers’ reactions were not correctly calculated before decisions were made concerning them. Nevertheless, Turkey’s labor unions must not be confused with their counterparts in Western countries.
The leaders of Turkey’s labor unions are very rich people; the structures of these organizations are highly anti-democratic and their demands are never coupled with democratic demands for other sectors of society. What is unfortunate for these workers is that even if their personal demands are justified, all is overshadowed by those who want to manipulate them in order to damage the government through undemocratic means. This is why, in Turkey’s circumstances, it is not bizarre that the government believes these strikes may be part of a general plan to overthrow the government by suspect means. This labor union movement is strongly supported by those who declare their respect for democracy but who are also disturbed by the AK Party’s Muslim sensitivities and by the fact that democracy has brought this particular party to power.
The Tekel movement has proven that there is an urgent need for a new union law in Turkey. In addition, such legislation is necessary for the EU negotiation process. However, present labor union leaders and industrialists are against a new regulation. It appears that official institutions, industry leaders and labor unions care little about Turkey’s overall democratization. Those who have benefited from the old system thus far prefer to manipulate those who suffer from the system instead of solving their problems. This is why they have a serious credibility problem.
The debates over the judiciary and the Tekel movement are part of Turkey’s efforts to get rid of the authoritarian regime’s straitjacket and to establish a Western-style democratic regime. This debate cannot be uniquely the government’s problem. It is also about how much democracy each and every one of us demands.
