sPAT May 2016 Agenda: ‘Parliamentary Immunities and the Law of Political Ethics’

In the meetings of May 2016, the small Provincial Assemblies of Turkey is gathering with the general agenda, “Parliamentary Immunities and the Law of Political Ethics.”

In May, sPAT is handling a topic which has been debated for the last few months with statements of unconditional and hesitative support, and coming into agenda with showdowns of party leaders.

The “Parliamentary immunities” which started to appear on the dates we were holding the April meetings are now in the forefront of public press and media.

The law draft prepared by AKP on the Parliamentary immunities has been faced a reaction of “a step towards the Presidential system,” as well as replied with statements of conditional, unconditional or hesitative support.

However, due to brawls occurring in the Constitutional Commission debates, the debates have been interrupted a few times. HDP MPs have left the meetings in which brawls have occurred.

Following the draft of HDP members regarding the confliction with the Constitution being rejected; the debates have been made on the draft of an amendment on the Constitution regarding the Parliamentary immunities of MPs being taken off. Passing the commission with votes of AKP, CHP and MHP, it seems like the draft will cause more debates starting next week.

However, the issue of Parliamentary immunities is not an issue coming into agenda for the first time. When we look at close history, the matter has been on the agenda in 2012 as well, and the sPAT has gathered in 19 provinces in December 2012 with the title of “Parliamentary Immunities.” You may read the common denominator report by clicking here.

When we enter May 2016, it is necessary to add the Draft on the Law of Political Ethics to the topic of debates, since we see it closely related to the current debates.

In the meetings of May 2016, the small Provincial Assemblies of Turkey is gathering with the general agenda, “Parliamentary Immunities and the Law of Political Ethics.”

The time and location of the meetings are as indicated below:

Information on the meetings:

In case there is more than one person representing the same organization, only one of those representatives can take the floor at once. The time periods indicated below may be increased or decreased as long as all participants agree on the change and the flow of the meeting is not disrupted.

In our meetings, special guests speak about the general agenda for 10 minutes following the introduction video presented at the beginning of each meeting. After the special guests, the turn of speech is given first to Non-Governmental Organizations for 5 minutes each, then to Political representatives for 5 minutes each. Once the first round is completed, either the second round, or a question-answer session beings; according to the number of attendance and to the common preferences of the participants. In the Q/A session, political party representatives have 2 minutes to answer the questions asked by the civil society in 15 seconds. In this session, the special guests may be asked questions as well. The same format is applied for the local agenda as well, and the meeting concludes.