After his return from Germany, President Erdoğan spoke to journalists on the plane, suggesting that changing the 50+1 requirement in the presidential election would be wise. This led CHP officials and many journalists to interpret it as the AKP's desire to break away from the MHP.

However, the idea of the AKP embarking on such an effort before local elections is illogical. Just as it's implausible to think that the government was unaware of the Supreme Court's complaint against the Constitutional Court members under current conditions, it's equally unlikely that Erdoğan would propose a reform risking the People's Alliance before local elections without discussing it with Bahçeli.

On November 17, in the aftermath of the crisis between the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court (AYM) and Bahçeli's terrorist insinuation against AYM President Zühtü Arslan, my article included these lines:

"The government, before its planned constitutional amendments, aims to restructure the Constitutional Court to remove it as an obstacle. These crises are deliberately created to reinforce the perception that the AYM is problematic, existing laws and the constitution are insufficient, and changes are necessary. The planned constitutional amendments are so controversial that Erdoğan needs more support from alliances and external forces to execute this operation."

Erdoğan, who owes all his power to the 50+1 system, is deliberately creating major crises so that constitutional changes seem inevitable. The goal is to engage the opposition in a constitutional bargain with the promise of changing 50+1 because the real aim is an amendment to keep Erdoğan in power indefinitely!

All these are parts of the planned trap.

Bahçeli cannot be unaware of this plan

Indeed, Bahçeli, in his speech at the MHP (The Nationalist Movement Party) group yesterday, defended the 50+1 system, saying, "The presidential government system is the dignity of Turkey's future. No one can come between our president and us," adding, "As the People's Alliance, I believe that any repair not harming the new system's nature will be achieved through consensus."

Moreover, remember that the MHP announced in 2021, for the Republic's 100th year, a 100-article constitutional proposal. It suggested removing the AYM's "high court" status, allowing Erdoğan a third term, removing the "neutrality" clause from the presidential oath, and possibly lowering the required 50+1 threshold to 40% in the first round for Erdoğan's election. This proposal was reported in the media but why it has not reached the Parliament is unknown; perhaps a more suitable time is awaited. Bahçeli's mention of "repair that will not harm the system's nature" could be considered in this context.

Constitutional changes cannot be made with counter-revolutionaries!

Don't forget, according to the constitution, for Erdoğan to run again, the Parliament needs to decide on early elections. Perhaps these crises will escalate to a point where this seems necessary...

However, I pointed out the response the AKP should receive regarding constitutional changes in my article dated September 6, 2023:

You violate the existing constitution every day. In 21 years, you have demolished democracy and the rule of law. Moreover, a constituent assembly, comprising representatives from political parties and democratic societal organizations, should create a social contract like the constitution upon which all sectors agree. The AKP, which targets the constitution's unamendable articles, aligns with secular republic and women's rights antagonistic, Sharia-supporting parties, and brings them into the Parliament, cannot do this. Therefore, NO to any attempt to make a constitution with counter-revolutionaries!

Let's see if the opposition will fall for this trap of the government and become mere extras again.