CHP Leader Says Abuse Of Majority Is Abuse Of National Will

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government is abusing its quantitative majority and undermining democracy, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said, although he did not openly name the governing party.

On Wednesday, Kılıçdaroğlu spoke at a special General Assembly session to recognize April 23, National Sovereignty and Children's Day, which marked the 94th anniversary of Parliament. His speech was filled with harsh criticism and accusations directed at Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Kılıçdaroğlu said, “Treating the support of the quantitative majority as national sovereignty and abusing it as such is the rejection and abuse of the national will.”

He said, without naming the prime minister, “Those who challenge even the Constitutional Court when they don't approve of its rulings and those who responded to allegations of graft by destroying the law are not only violating the Constitution but also national sovereignty.”

The CHP leader also said the AK Party's plans to agree to lower the 10 percent election threshold only by making changes to the election system that will create unfair outcomes is also disrespectful to national sovereignty. The AK Party government has agreed to lower the threshold by changing the electoral regions, which experts say will primarily favor the governing party.

He said the concept of national sovereignty was being distorted. “National sovereignty is an issue of a pluralistic regime, fair representation and the supremacy of life. A system where the majority is mighty and where might is right and where citizens are faced with threats of intimidation, bans, hatred, poverty and instability is not pluralistic.”

“Sovereignty belongs to the entire nation, down to the last individual,” he said. Kılıçdaroğlu also said that those who see the separation of powers as a burden cannot claim to respect the will of the nation.

He finished his speech by referring to Berkin Elvan, a boy who died after 269 days in a coma due to a head injury sustained when he was hit by a tear gas canister shot by police in June of last year during anti-government protests. “This year, on behalf of the CHP party group, I would like to dedicate April 23, National Sovereignty and Children's Day, to the beautiful memory of Berkin Elvan, who left his home one day and who has been buried in the heart of the Turkish nation ever since.”

SHOTLIST
TURKEY, ANKARA, 23 APR 2014

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek announces Kılıçdaroğlu to make his speech
VAR of Kılıçdaroğlu's speech

DURATION: 05:00