Jep News: Turkish Referendum - a Slap in the Face to Europe

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/489120/Jep_News_Turkey.jpg )

To read the full article, published April 11, click here: http://jepnews.de/english/94-turkish-referendum-a-slap-in-the-face-to-europe  

The circumstances in which the referendum is being held appear to be less than ideal for a presumably democratic European country. The critics are being silenced domestically, and largely ignored, or insulted, internationally. At the same time, the anti-government Kurdish minority is de-facto excluded from participation in the voting, which is going to influence the outcome beneficially for the president.  As Artur Meier, the author of the article, notes, with the proposed amendments "Erdogan is trying to doctor the constitution, strengthening personal power and limiting the influence of political opponents", while effectively dismantling the Ataturk's system - "a corrupt but secular state with parliamentary control and political competition."

Erdogan's support for political Islamism and institution of capital punishment as well as ongoing purges of political opponents and media crackdown make the atmosphere around the referendum especially poisonous, yet typical of undemocratic "hybrid regimes", observes Artur Meier. The EU will have to recognize the results of the referendum, despite it bearing "all the signs of carefully planned manipulation".

http://jepnews.de - web site with a focus on political, economic and cultural issues in the EU and its member states.