THE UNDERSTANDING OF INTRA-PARTY DEMOCRACY IN THE MAJORITARIAN-PLURALISTIC DEMOCRACY DILEMMA AND ITS REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

Mustafa Okşar

Article Details

THE UNDERSTANDING OF INTRA-PARTY DEMOCRACY IN THE MAJORITARIAN-PLURALISTIC DEMOCRACY DILEMMA AND ITS REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

Authors:

Mustafa Okşar

Publisher:

Dicle University

Main Topics:

Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Dicle Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 49, pp.407-468

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001308942

pISSN:

1300-2929

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The fact that the understanding of democracy that dominates the country has a majoritarian or pluralist structure is in a close relationship with the understanding of intra-party democracy. The dominance of the leader in the internal functioning of political parties causes the understanding of democracy at the country level to shift from the pluralist axis to the majoritarian axis. It does not seem possible for a political party that has not been able to adopt a pluralistic understanding of democracy within itself and that makes decision under the authority of its leader, to be able to realize and maintain a pluralistic understanding of democracy at country level when it comes to power. In Turkey, political parties are dominated by strict discipline and leadership supremacy. The presidential government system, which was designed to focus on the President, whose ties with his political party were not severed with the 2017 amendments to the 1982 Constitution, provides a leader that can be implemented throughout the country, starting from the party level, through the axis of the Parliament majority-political party-President. It paves the way for hegemony and, in this context, the majoritarian understanding of democracy. Constitutional practices take the form of on this basis pave the way for the system to evolve towards individual power.

 The fact that the understanding of democracy that dominates the country has a majoritarian or pluralist structure is in a close relationship with the understanding of intra-party democracy. The dominance of the leader in the internal functioning of political parties causes the understanding of democracy at the country level to shift from the pluralist axis to the majoritarian axis. It does not seem possible for a political party that has not been able to adopt a pluralistic understanding of democracy within itself and that makes decision under the authority of its leader, to be able to realize and maintain a pluralistic understanding of democracy at country level when it comes to power. In Turkey, political parties are dominated by strict discipline and leadership supremacy. The presidential government system, which was designed to focus on the President, whose ties with his political party were not severed with the 2017 amendments to the 1982 Constitution, provides a leader that can be implemented throughout the country, starting from the party level, through the axis of the Parliament majority-political party-President. It paves the way for hegemony and, in this context, the majoritarian understanding of democracy. Constitutional practices take the form of on this basis pave the way for the system to evolve towards individual power.

 The fact that the understanding of democracy that dominates the country has a majoritarian or pluralist structure is in a close relationship with the understanding of intra-party democracy. The dominance of the leader in the internal functioning of political parties causes the understanding of democracy at the country level to shift from the pluralist axis to the majoritarian axis. It does not seem possible for a political party that has not been able to adopt a pluralistic understanding of democracy within itself and that makes decision under the authority of its leader, to be able to realize and maintain a pluralistic understanding of democracy at country level when it comes to power. In Turkey, political parties are dominated by strict discipline and leadership supremacy. The presidential government system, which was designed to focus on the President, whose ties with his political party were not severed with the 2017 amendments to the 1982 Constitution, provides a leader that can be implemented throughout the country, starting from the party level, through the axis of the Parliament majority-political party-President. It paves the way for hegemony and, in this context, the majoritarian understanding of democracy. Constitutional practices take the form of on this basis pave the way for the system to evolve towards individual power.

 Ülke geneline egemen olan demokrasi anlayışının çoğunlukçu veya çoğulcu bir yapı göstermesi, parti içi demokrasi anlayışıyla yakın bir ilişki içindedir. Siyasi partilerin iç işleyişlerinde lider sultasının egemen olması, ülke düzeyindeki demokrasi anlayışının da çoğulcu eksenden çoğunlukçu eksene kaymasına neden olmaktadır. Kendi içinde çoğulcu bir demokrasi anlayışını benimseyememiş ve lider sultası altında kararlar alan bir siyasi partinin, iktidara geldiğinde ülke düzeyinde bir çoğulcu demokrasi anlayışını gerçekleştirebilmesi ve sürdürebilmesi mümkün gözükmemektedir. Türkiyede siyasi partilere katı disiplin ve lider sultası egemendir. 1982 Anayasasında 2017 yılı değişiklikleriyle siyasi partisiyle ilişiği kesilmeyen Cumhurbaşkanını odak noktaya alacak şekilde kurgulanan cumhurbaşkancı hükümet sistemi, Meclis çoğunluğu-siyasi parti-Cumhurbaşkanı ekseni üzerinden parti düzeyinden başlayarak ülke genelinde uygulama alanı bulabilecek bir lider hegemonyasına ve bu bağlamda çoğunlukçu demokrasi anlayışına zemin hazırlamaktadır. Bu zemin üzerinde şekillenen anayasal pratikler, sistemin, kişisel iktidara doğru evrilmesinin yolunu açmaktadır.

Article Details

THE UNDERSTANDING OF INTRA-PARTY DEMOCRACY IN THE MAJORITARIAN-PLURALISTIC DEMOCRACY DILEMMA AND ITS REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

Authors:

Mustafa Okşar

Publisher:

Dicle University

Main Topics:

Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Dicle Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 49, pp.407-468

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001308942

pISSN:

1300-2929

Presidential system of government

majoritarian democracy

pluralistic democracy

intra-party democracy

party discipline

leader hegemonyCumhurbaşkancı hükümet sistemi

çoğunlukçu demokrasi

çoğulcu demokrasi

parti içi demokrasi

parti disiplini

lider hegemonyası

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mustafa Okşar

Publisher: Dicle University

Main Topics: Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal: Dicle Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 49, pp.407-468

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2023

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001308942

pISSN: 1300-2929

Issues

Authors:

Mustafa Okşar

Publisher:

Dicle University

Main Topics:

Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Dicle Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 49, pp.407-468

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001308942

pISSN:

1300-2929