| FROM CHIEF | Murat SARAYLI |
| Chairman of the Board of TUGIAD/Confedereration of Young European Businessmen (YES) |
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NEED OF CHANGE IN POLITICAL UNDERSTANDINGS |
Our nation's opportunity to cross the development threshold which was caught and missed several times since 1960s is caught again in the last five years’ period faces with the risk to be wasted again due to the present structure of the political establishment.
Turkish society, although explicitly expressed its need for a change in the political understandings in the Elections of 2002, observes that it is persisted on a similar understanding.
Recent developments set forth that Turkish political understanding has not been changed much, is, so to speak, still on the axis of confrontation carried out over the social sensitivities, but not on the axis of creating projects for the increase of public welfare. However, the political establishment should avoid such dangerous tendencies which may produce serious problems, and should revive its solution-finding function. Otherwise, frosty view of the society against the political establishment will increase more. As a matter of fact, Turkish society does not approve this approach and certainly keeps this approach at arm’s length which may result in political antagonisms. Thus some recent researches indicate that undecided voters reach to a high ratio, and if this situation remains, non-voters will exceed 9 million non-voters in the Elections of 2002.
Political institutions should not delay in questioning existing political approaches that are based on confrontation, and cause political troubles and suspected to be deepened gradually in Turkey. Otherwise, both Turkey will lose and loss of trust in political establishment will inevitably increase day by day. To constitute new parties will not be a solution; the only solution is a change in political approaches. In the background of this feeling of political void there still lies a need for a new political approach despite of more than fifty political parties exist in our country.
New political approach should be formulated as to focus on the people’s needs and priorities by all political institutions, either the government or the opposition. Only by this approach, it may be possible to embrace wide sections of the society and to aim a one-party government with a majority. Turkish society expects the political institutions to project, plan future of the country accurately, make politics based on knowledge, and to develop programs according to the priorities of the people.
Lack of political parties that aim to govern with a vote of 51% set forth the amount of necessity for such a new approach. Thus, for the examples in the world, their essential cause of existence is to be in power with a vote of 40 percent, even with the votes of more than half of the voters.
Democracy in Turkey will only be strengthen by the existence of the parties focused on this new approach, so political and economic stability and social peace will be permanent. If we fail to realize this, Turkey may not cross the development threshold which it reaches again. This is not and may not be the fate of Turkey.
