The Star daily’s Mustafa Karaalioğlu believes the majority of the Turkish public will say “yes” to the reforms that will be voted on in the referendum on Sunday, and that some of them will say “no” to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). “Two different things will be voted on in the same ballot boxes. So nobody should suggest that if the constitutional reforms are voted down, that this is the will of almost half of our society, or a social consensus. Because the only votes that will be related to the reforms will be the ‘yes’ votes, and the ‘no’ votes will not be about the reforms,” explains Karaalioğlu. He adds that those whose vote is influenced by the current government instead of the reform package on Sept. 12 will regret the decision they made in the future. “Just think about it, an opportunity has emerged to settle accounts with the Sept. 12 military coup 30 years after it, and on its anniversary. Those who miss this opportunity for the sake of mundane interests will someday hold their political leaders responsible,” he says. The Akşam daily’s Atılgan Bayar thinks the referendum will most probably yield a “yes,” adding that the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) efforts to woo “no” votes are futile, as the party’s reason for opposing the package as well as its methods are problematic. “I wonder how this party can prevent the negative image brought about by some who defend the CHP and ‘no’ front although they are not CHP officials. How can the CHP prevent ‘no’ votes from turning into ‘yes’ votes as long as figures like Fazıl Say, Bedri Baykam and Levent Kırca speak and distort facts and the media covers their statements? While CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is trying to gather more and more ‘no’ votes, they, seemingly as his supporters, do just the opposite,” says Bayar.
Another Star columnist Ahmet Kekeç hopes a “yes” vote will emerge from the referendum; however, he says no matter what the results are, it will be the nation’s will and, hence, deserves to be respected. “Both the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ results will be respected and legitimate. The naysayers will not be pro-coup or pro-Ergenekon -- a shadowy criminal network with alleged links to the state and suspected of plotting to topple the government. Similarly, the yea-sayers will not be traitors or servants of the US,” he says.
