A substantial number of AKP constituents signal a 'no' vote for referendum
Almost immediately after AKP’s controversial constitutional amendments package was approved in Turkey’s parliament, both political parties and the public began their campaign for the upcoming referendum scheduled for early April this year.
If the package also gets approved in the referendum, Turkey’s government system will be shifted to a presidential system.
Those opposing the amendments highlight the dangers posed by the proposed changes, where legislative power will be shrunk significantly and the executive head – the president – will have expanded powers both over the parliament and the judiciary, including the authority to appoint, both directly and indirectly, almost all of the members of the higher judiciary and to pass executive decrees and dissolve the parliament without any solid restrictions.
Left-wing opposition parties CHP and HDP are completely against the proposed system. However, chair of far-right MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) and a number of MHP MPs have been backing the system since last winter, although they were initially against a change that would give current president Erdoğan extended powers.
While the dissenting voices among MHP members have been overt, opposition within AKP had rather been at a gray area until recently.
AKP constituents are now grouped under three different positions
Having spoken with AKP constituents about their views and concerns, BirGün reporter Erk Acarer points out that there are three positions among the supporters of AKP when it comes to the referendum.
The first group, Acarer explains, are those who have been supporting AKP all along and ‘will most likely keep their stance as the same for ages.’ They are the devote fans of ‘Reis’ (Erdoğan the Chief) and it is almost impossible to even ask them of their views because it is too obvious and irreversible, says Acarer.
The second group, on the other hand, consists of those who have also been devote supporters of AKP since the beginning but now have doubts about the proposed system. Members of this group are confused about their party’s proposal since they cannot really be sure about what it would bring in the future. As Acarer points out, if those leading a ‘no’ campaign keep a soft and clear tone and focus on the future of the all people of Turkey, instead of an approach that would target Erdoğan or AKP and further the current level of polarization, this second group among AKP constituents will most probably say ‘no’ in the referendum, as well.
Third group, however, is about to break ties with AKP completely. Acarer talks to an AKP constituent, who expresses his discontent with the party that he has supported since its inception and adds the following: “I am an individual reaching his 40’s, a graduate of İmam Hatip high school, and a father of 3. I grew up close to communities of Saidi Nursi and Nour in addition to Refah (Welfare) Party and National Youth Foundation. On February 28, I felt oppressed and I got upset. As soon as AKP was founded, I joined. But whether you admit it or not, what hardened the party grassroots and led them to vote for AKP no matter what was actually the attitude of the opposition in Turkey.”
In this third group, there are also those who are now strictly criticizing certain approaches of AKP. One constituent says: “I strongly defended ‘saying yes’ to the referendum in 2010… However, AKP has lifted many of the articles that we had said ‘yes’ to in that referendum. Not only that, we also witnessed a strange transition. The current government offered hijab, Koran course, and opportunities for İmam Hatip education as a bribery… Now, we wear our hijabs but we have ended up being unfair…”
Another constituent from this group says: “You know, actually, AKP has not interfered with anyone’s lifestyle except for the religious people. Yes, this might come as shocking but AKP has been trying to impose on religious people a strange particular way of life. And, this life has quite of a worldly outlook, show off, and wastage. This creates a vulgar and rude stereotype of Muslims.”
Yet another constituent disappointed by where the state of affairs in Turkey have come to says the number of AKP supporters now hesitant to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum are quite substantial and warns about the aftermath of the referendum, regardless of the result.
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/akp-liler-hayir-a-hic-de-uzak-degil-144997.html