PDF Dosyası - Ankara Üniversitesi Kitaplar Veritabanı

The much-talked-about modifications in the electoral lavv, from theproportional tovvards a majoritarian system, to avoid fragmentation andincrease governmental stability, may provide good results, only if theyare done not on short term tactical considerations. Rather such a reformshould aim at a fair representation of ali majör political movements andencourage the re-grouping of similar ones, vvhich are split in Turkey, notso much around political differences but around competing leaders. Currently,this is the case in the centre of the right and centre of the left, theonly united majör political movement being the islamists. In parallel, thelavv on political parties should be amended, so that they become democraticallyorganized bodies, vvhose main function is to agregate demandsfrom the citizens vvho vote for them, instead of being, as they are novv,clientelistic machineries exclusively serving a leader. Institutional reformsconcerning the electoral system and political parties are not unimportant,but the main reason for the volatility of voters and fragmentationare the secular political parties' inability to satisfy the demands of theirelectorate.As regards mechanisms for the participation of citizens, they are stilito be invented, at the national and local levels. Advisory citizens' councils,mixed committees involving the administration and citizens' representatives,contractual arrangements betvveen the State, local authoritiesand civil society organizations on social, educational, health, cultural, urbanissues of direct relevance to the daily life of individuals and groupsare some of the measures that can be debated and promoted. An authenticpublic participation in public administration's decision-making processrequires a dynamic deliberative process. This concern should be a priorityin an institutional reform.The combination of representative and participative deliberative democracyis the best way to put into practice the principle of popular sovereignty,the condition of vvhich in present-day Turkey reminds one of the18th century French essayist Chamfort's aphorism: sovereignty belongsto the people, but the people should not exercize it!2. A democratic, transparent, accountable and decentralized Stateand public administrationAs noted above, the modern Turkish State stili has an extremely stronegcentrality in the political system and society. A vvell-structured State,concentrating on its classical sovereignty functions —defence, external security,justice— is an asset. An effıcient public administration, vvhichserves the common interests of citizens and provides the necessary publicinfrastructures and services, is also an asset. This is vvhat Turkey needs.Beyond this, in a complex, differentiated society, vvith a strong marketeconomy and an increasingly organized and vocal civil society, the Stateinstitutions should exercize a minumum interference in domestic political246