Turkish parliament quibbles over elections

Nationalists in Premier Bulent Ecevit's government said yesterday they would pull out of the three­party coalition – a move that would effectively topple it – if parliament does not approve a date for early elections in November.

Nationalist leader Devlet Bahceli's threat came as parliament was recalled at the opposition's initiative to fix an election date. Government parties – despite their proclaimed support for early polls – boycotted the session, ensuring the necessary quorum could not be reached.

"If elections are delayed until after November 3, it would not be possible for us to carry on," said Bahceli, whose party is now the largest in government and parliament after mass defections from Ecevit's party.

Ecevit's government had agreed to hold elections on November 3, 18 months early, but says parliament was not ready to take the decision this week. The nationalists agreed, but they have summoned parliament again next week to approve the November date, and seem angry at an apparent attempt by the premier to backslide.

Ecevit said at the weekend that it would be best if his government remained in office until the end of its term in April 2004. The departure of the nationalists would doom a government which has already lost its absolute majority in parliament.

Bahceli wants early elections to end political uncertainty that has grown in recent months, as Ecevit's illness kept him from work while coalition members clashed over reforms needed to boost Turkey's bid for European Union membership.

But Ecevit's party, which has seen its parliamentary presence halved after this month's defections, fears it could suffer at the polls. Voters are expected to punish a government which has presided over Turkey's worst recession since World War II.

The third coalition partner, the Motherland Party, also backs a November poll, but wants to complete the EU reforms first to strengthen its hand in the election campaign.

But Bahceli – a fierce opponent of the EU reforms, which include abolition of the death penalty and measures to allow minority Kurds wider rights – said Monday that it would take too long to debate the reforms, leaving insufficient time to prepare for November polls.

After Monday's failure, parliament will reconvene next week with early elections again on its agenda. Government members may also submit detailed proposals for meeting the EU's criteria. They accused the opposition parties who summoned parliament Monday of failing to do this.

Some opposition parties also joined the government's boycott Monday, leaving parliament well short of the 184 legislators – a third of the 550­seat parliament – required for a quorum.

Judging by the promises of party leaders, who all say they favour early polls, a majority in favor of a November election should be a foregone conclusion when parliament convenes next week.

But Turkish politics is rarely that simple. Behind their public statements, many parties are worried about facing the voters in November, and are trying to manoeuvre themselves into a stronger campaigning position.

While government parties believe Turkey's economic woes will shrink their vote, pro­Islamic opposition parties are worried about legal cases hanging over their leaders.

Turkey's newest party was formally established Monday by former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, the most prominent member of the government to abandon Ecevit.

Cem's "New Turkey" party, regrouping the defectors around a pro­EU platform, immediately became the fifth­largest party in parliament. Kemal Dervis, the economy minister and architect of the government's recovery program, was also expected to join New Turkey, though for now he remains in government.

But while Cem said New Turkey backed early polls, some analysts say November elections would give the group little time to organize, and believe its interests would be better served by a later poll date.