Turkey’s constitutional changes
How will the AK party manage to push through its controversial amendments?
Turkey is stepping up its bid to enter the European Union.
The Turkish government has proposed a package of constitutional changes that are supposed to bring Turkey in line with Europe, politically and economically.
It suggested some of the changes could be enacted just 30 days after they are passed into law.
But critics say the moves are more about curbing the role of the judiciary and cementing the ruling party’s power domestically, than helping the country get into the EU.
Just how will the party push through its new amendments? And at what price?
Joining the programme are Cuneyt Yuksel, the vice-president of the political and legal affairs of the AK party, Yusuf Kanli, the editor-in-chief of the Turkish Daily News, and Fadi Hakura, a Turkish affairs expert in the European programme at Chatham House.
This episode of Inside Story aired from Wednesday, March 24, 2010.