Election threshold in Turkey: A political barrier for the Kurds
Election threshold in Turkey: A political barrier for the Kurds
After the military coup on September 12, 1980 the junta leaded by Turkish general Kenan Evren issued a law that sets the election threshold to ten percent for political parties. This law is in force since then.
The election threshold is the only reason why millions of Kurds are not represented in the Turkish parliament for over 15 years. The threshold is not a “necessity for political stability” as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says but a shame for democracy.
A 10 percent threshold was used in Turkey during the 1991, 1995 and 1999 elections, but all three, however, failed to select a single party to hold power, and the desired level of stability was not achieved during these periods as the coalitions formed by various parties proved to be short lived. This examples show us that the threshold is not for stability. It is definitely a political barrier for the Kurds.
The 10 percent election threshold is now back on the political agenda again as it is one of the Kurdistan Workers Party’s (PKK) conditions to extend the ceasefire that will last on September 20.
Here are the results of the general elections in Turkey. The numbers will show how the Turkish election system prevents Kurdish representation in politics.
In the 1995 general elections pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy Party (HADEP) got 4,17 percent (1.171.623) of the total votes. Although HADEP was the leading party in 7 Kurdish cities the party was not represented in Turkish parliament. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) also couldn’t get 10 percent of the votes and it stayed out of the parliament.
In the 1999 general elections the story was the same for HADEP. HADEP got 4,7 percent of the total votes and couldn’t send any representatives to Ankara. In this elections Republican People’s Party (CHP) was also out of parliament for the first time in modern Turkey’s history.
The 2002 general elections was surely the most dramatic one for the Kurds. 1.993.680 citizens voted for Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) and the party got over 6 percent of the total votes. It was not enough again.
DEHAP was the leading party in 13 Kurdish provinces and made huge political gains.
After this election DEHAP’s Sirnak candidate Mehmet Yumak took the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). DEHAP got 45 percent of the total votes in Sirnak but Yumak couldn’t represent his voters because of the 10 percent election threshold. ECHR ruled that the nationwide election threshold is a violation of human rights and called the Turkish government to lower it.
But Turkish government didn’t respond to this call.
In 2007 general elections Kurdish parties agreed to form a list of independent candidates so that they will be able to send representatives to the Turkish parliament. 22 Kurdish candidates won the election and formed a parliamentary group for Democratic Society Party (DTP).
If the Turkish election threshold is lowered to 5 percent DTP is expected to send at least 60 representatives to Ankara.
While ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is against a reduction in 10 percent threshold, main opposition CHP is preparing to present a draft law to the Turkish parliament which will set the threshold to 7 percent.
At least three new parties could enter Parliament in 2011 if this proposal to lower the election threshold is passed, pollsters have predicted.
The election threshold is the only reason why millions of Kurds are not represented in the Turkish parliament for over 15 years. The threshold is not a “necessity for political stability” as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says but a shame for democracy.
A 10 percent threshold was used in Turkey during the 1991, 1995 and 1999 elections, but all three, however, failed to select a single party to hold power, and the desired level of stability was not achieved during these periods as the coalitions formed by various parties proved to be short lived. This examples show us that the threshold is not for stability. It is definitely a political barrier for the Kurds.
The 10 percent election threshold is now back on the political agenda again as it is one of the Kurdistan Workers Party’s (PKK) conditions to extend the ceasefire that will last on September 20.
Here are the results of the general elections in Turkey. The numbers will show how the Turkish election system prevents Kurdish representation in politics.
In the 1995 general elections pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy Party (HADEP) got 4,17 percent (1.171.623) of the total votes. Although HADEP was the leading party in 7 Kurdish cities the party was not represented in Turkish parliament. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) also couldn’t get 10 percent of the votes and it stayed out of the parliament.
In the 1999 general elections the story was the same for HADEP. HADEP got 4,7 percent of the total votes and couldn’t send any representatives to Ankara. In this elections Republican People’s Party (CHP) was also out of parliament for the first time in modern Turkey’s history.
The 2002 general elections was surely the most dramatic one for the Kurds. 1.993.680 citizens voted for Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) and the party got over 6 percent of the total votes. It was not enough again.
DEHAP was the leading party in 13 Kurdish provinces and made huge political gains.
After this election DEHAP’s Sirnak candidate Mehmet Yumak took the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). DEHAP got 45 percent of the total votes in Sirnak but Yumak couldn’t represent his voters because of the 10 percent election threshold. ECHR ruled that the nationwide election threshold is a violation of human rights and called the Turkish government to lower it.
But Turkish government didn’t respond to this call.
In 2007 general elections Kurdish parties agreed to form a list of independent candidates so that they will be able to send representatives to the Turkish parliament. 22 Kurdish candidates won the election and formed a parliamentary group for Democratic Society Party (DTP).
If the Turkish election threshold is lowered to 5 percent DTP is expected to send at least 60 representatives to Ankara.
While ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is against a reduction in 10 percent threshold, main opposition CHP is preparing to present a draft law to the Turkish parliament which will set the threshold to 7 percent.
At least three new parties could enter Parliament in 2011 if this proposal to lower the election threshold is passed, pollsters have predicted.
