PULSE of TURKEY No: 100-103 .................................................... APRIL  1999

PULSE of TURKEY No:100 DOMESTIC POLITICS 15 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS

Ecevit is reluctant to enhance popularity at the expense of Turkish soldiers’ blood in Kosovo. The sharply rising popularity of the DSP makes even ANAP consider measures during the election period. Co-operation between the DSP and ANAP for local elections has not worked so far, but should not be ruled out as a last minute surprise of the ruling front to be in the post-election period. It would be a good arrangement to prepare Turkey for the new millennium.

PULSE of TURKEY No:101 ELECTION FEVER WITHOUT TOO MUCH OF A FUNDAMENTALISM HEADACHE

As a development very much out of character for elections in Turkey, external factors play a bigger role than domestic issues in influencing the voter’s choice in next week’s elections. Consequently, issues like headscarves, secularism and even economic matters like inflation draw less attention from voters than external issues. An outcome of this unusual factor is the DSP’s rising star. Another is the expectation for the continuation of the 55th and 56th governments in the post election period by the Ecevit-Yilmaz team. State agencies are on the lookout to prevent any politician’s moves against national interest. Below is the possible impact of this fact on the formation of the new government and the reasons for this vigilance.

PULSE of TURKEY No:102 ECEVIT’S DOVE FLIES HIGH ALONG WITH THE HUNTER

The outcome of the Turkish elections last Sunday was received by the world as the victory of leftist and rightwing nationalists in Turkey. A DSP-MHP-ANAP coalition may emerge. For the background and prospects of especially a DSP-MHP partnership --even the mere idea of which Bulent Ecevit once described as "a stick of dynamite in my brain"-- see the article below.

PULSE of TURKEY No:103 TOWARDS A LASTING POLITICAL STABILITY IN TURKEY

A political force capable of amending the Constitution is emerging in Ankara. The remarkable co-operation and harmony between Mesut Yilmaz and Bulent Ecevit in the last parliament may now induce the MHP leadership to follow suit. It would mean the emergence of lasting political and economic stability so much longed for in Turkey. The next Government and its program are shaping even before the designation of the new Prime Minister by the President.

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