Constitutional Law:
Table of Contents
The Authors 3
List of
Abbreviations 13
General
Introduction 15
§ 1. An
Outline of Turkish Constitutional History 15
I. The
Constitution of the
II. The
Constitutions of the Republic 18
§ 2. Profile
of the Form of Government 28
I. Rule of Law
and Human Rights 29
II. Separation
of Powers 33
III. The
Concept of National Sovereignty 34
IV. Unitary
State 36
V. Secularism
37
§ 3.
I. Territory
38
II. Population
39
III. Flag and
National Anthem 40
Selected
Bibliography 43
Chapter 1. Treaties 47
§ 1. Notion 47
§ 2. Hierarchy
48
Chapter 2. The
Constitution 51
§ 1.
Typification 51
§ 2. Procedure
for Amending the Constitution 51
§ 3. Hierarchy
53
Chapter 3. Legislation 54
§ 1. Types of
Law 54
I. Ordinary
Laws / Statutes (Kanunlar) 54
II.
Decree-Laws (Kanun Hükmünde Kararnameler) 55
§ 2. Hierarchy
56
Chapter 4. Jurisprudence
57
§ 1. Case Law
57
§ 2. Legal
Theories 57
Chapter 5. Unwritten Law
59
§ 1. Customary
Law 59
§ 2. General
Principles of Law 59
Chapter 6. Administrative
Regulations and By-Laws 61
§ 1.
Categories 61
I. Regulations
(Tüzükler) 61
II. By-Laws (Yönetmelikler) 61
§ 2. Hierarchy
62
Chapter 7. Codification,
Interpretation and Publication 63
§ 1.
Codification 63
§ 2.
Interpretation 63
§ 3.
Publication 64
Part II. Form
of Government 65
Chapter 1. General 65
§ 1.
Introduction 65
§ 2. Political
Parties and Interest Groups 66
I. General
Introduction 66
II. The
Funding and Auditing of the Political Parties 68
III. Current
Political Parties in
Chapter 2. The Head of
State 71
§ 1. The Organ
of State 71
§ 2. Legal
Status 72
§ 3.
Competence 73
Chapter 3. The
Legislature 75
§ 1. The Organ
of State 75
I. Unicameral
System 75
II.
Composition and Electoral System 75
A. Eligibility
75
B. The
Electoral System 76
C. The
Principles of the Election Process 78
§ 2. Legal
status 80
I.
Representative Character of the Mandate 80
II.
Incompatibilities, Immunities and Privileges 80
A.
Incompatibilities 80
B. Immunities
81
1.
Parliamentary Unaccountability (Yasama SorumsuzluGu) 81
2.
Parliamentary Immunity (Yasama DokunulmazlıGı) 81
C. Loss of
Membership 82
D. Salaries
and Allowances 82
§ 3.
Competence 83
I. General 83
II.
Legislation 83
III.
Supervision of and Control over the Executive 84
A. Questions,
Parliamentary Inquiries and General Debates
(Soru, Meclis
Arastırması ve Genel GorüSme) 84
B. Motions of
Censure / Interpellation (Gensoru) 84
C.
Parliamentary Investigation 85
IV. ‘Delegation’
of Legislative Power 86
§ 4. Working
86
I. Legislative
Proceedings 86
II. Rules on
Quorum and Majority 88
III. Assent,
Promulgation and Publication of a Bill 88
Chapter 4. The
Executive 89
§ 1. The Organ
of State 89
I.
Introduction 89
II. Process of
Forming a Government 90
III.
Composition and Organization of the Government 91
§ 2. Legal
Status 91
I. Privileges
and Immunities 91
II. Collective
and Individual Responsibility 92
§ 3.
Competence 92
I. Competence
of the Prime Minister 92
A. The General
Tasks of the Prime Minister 92
B. The Head of
Government and Administration 93
II. Competence
of the Cabinet 94
§ 4. Working
95
Chapter 5. The Judiciary
96
§ 1. Judicial
Organization 96
I. Justice
(Civil and Criminal) Courts 96
II.
Administrative Courts 99
III. Military
Courts 101
IV. The
V. The Court
of Auditors 105
§ 2.
Constitutional and Legal Statutes of the Members of the Judiciary
in View of
Their
I.
II. The
Supreme Council of Judges and Public Prosecutors 107
§ 3. Judicial
Proceedings 108
Chapter 6. Independent
Non-Political Bodies 110
§ 1.
Introduction 110
§ 2. The
Competition Board 111
§ 3. The Radio
and Television Supreme Council 112
§ 4. The Stock
Market Council 114
Part III.
State and its Subdivisions 115
Chapter 1. Local
Government 115
§ 1.
Introduction 115
§ 2.
Historical Development and Structures of Local Governments
in
I. History 116
A. Provincial
Administration 119
B. Municipal
Administration 120
C.
Metropolitan Municipal Administration 121
D. Village
Administration 123
II. Local
Elections, Personnel, and Some Common Features 124
§ 3. Local
Government Finance in
I. Municipal
Finance 126
A. A Share of
Central Government Revenues 126
B.
Municipalities’ Own Revenues 127
1. Taxes 127
2. Fees 127
3.
Participation Charges 127
C. State
Assistance to Municipalities 127
1. General
Grants 128
2. Specific
Grants 128
D.
Extraordinary Revenues of Municipalities 129
E. Other
Revenues 129
II. Municipal
Budgets 129
III. The Bank
of Provinces (Iller Bankasi) 130
IV. Finance of
the Provincial Local Administrations 131
A. Shares from
Central Government Revenues 131
B. Their Own
Revenues 132
C. Loans 132
V. Budget 132
VI. Finance of
Villages 132
A. Imece 133
B. Salma 133
C. State
Assistance 133
§ 4. Central
Control over Local Authorities in
(Administrative
Tutelage) 134
I. The Basis
of Administrative Tutelage in Turkish Law 135
II. Tutelage
in Turkish Administrative System 135
A.
Administrative Tutelage over Municipalities 136
1. Control
over Municipal Organs 136
a. Mayor 136
b. Municipal
Council 137
(1)
Interference with Councils’ Meetings and
Works 137
(2)
Dissolution of Municipal Councils 138
c. Municipal
Executive Committee 138
2. Municipal
Personnel 138
3. Municipal
Activities 139
a. Approval:
139
b. Annulment
140
c. Giving
Commands 140
4. Control
over Municipal Financial Resources 141
a. Budget 141
b. Subventions
and Credits 141
B.
Administrative Tutelage over the Provincial Local
Administrations
141
1. Control
over Organs 142
2. Control
over Activities 142
3. Control
over Personnel 142
4. Control
over the Budget and through Financial Ways 143
C.
Administrative Tutelage over Villages 143
1. Control
over Organs 143
a. Headman 143
b. Executive
Committee 143
2. Control
over Personnel 144
3. Control
over Village Activities 144
4. Control
over Budget and Finance 144
§ 5.
Conclusion 145
Part IV.
Citizenship and the Administration of Justice 149
Chapter 1. Rules
Concerning Nationality and Relevance of
Nationality 149
§ 1.
Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Concerning Nationality 149
I. Obtaining
Turkish Nationality 149
A. Attribution
of Turkish Nationality by Birth 149
B. Acquisition
of Turkish Nationality by Naturalization 150
II. Loss of
Turkish Nationality 150
§ 2. Relevance
of Nationality 151
Chapter 2. Fundamental
Rights and Liberties 152
§ 1. General
152
I. Definition
152
II. Sources
152
A. The
Constitution of the
B. The
European Convention on Human Rights 153
C. The
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 153
D. Other
International Documents 154
E. Ordinary
Legislation 155
III.
Historical Outline 155
IV. General
Rules 158
A. Who is
Entitled to the Protection of Rights and Liberties? 158
B. Under Which
Conditions may Restrictions on Rights
and Liberties
be Imposed? 159
C. Which
Remedies against Violations of Rights and Liberties
are Guaranteed
under the Turkish Constitution? 164
D. Which
Remedies against Violations of Rights and Liberties
are Guaranteed
under the International Conventions? 166
V. Equality
167
§ 2. Civil and
Political Rights 171
I. Sources 171
II. Individual
Integrity,
A. The Right
to Life 171
B. The Right
to Protection against Torture and other Ill-treatment 173
C. The Right
to
III. The Right
to a Fair Trial 177
IV. The Right
of Respect for Private and Family Life 179
V. Intellectual
Rights 180
A. Freedom of
Religion and Conscience 180
B. Freedom of
Thought and Expression 181
C. Freedom of
Press 183
D. Freedom of
Assembly and of Association 185
VI. The Right
to Property 191
§ 3. Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights 192
Chapter 3. Judicial
Control of Administrative Action 194
§ 1. General
194
§ 2.
Applications for Judicial Review 194
§ 3. Judicial
Remedies 196
I. Annulment
of Administrative Acts 196
II. Redress
for Damages 197
III. Temporary
Remedies 197
Chapter 4. Legal
Position of Aliens 199
§ 1.
Constitutional Protection 199
§ 2. Statutory
Provisions Regarding the Settlement of Aliens 199
I. General 199
II. Access to
and Residence in
III. Removal
from
IV.
Restrictions Imposed by Human Rights Conventions 201
Part V.
Specific Problems 203
Chapter 1. War, Treaties
and Foreign Affairs Powers 203
§ 1. National
Defence 203
§ 2. Foreign
Affairs 204
I. General 204
II. Procedure
for the Making of Treaties 204
A. Negotiation
and Conclusion of a Treaty 204
B. Acceptance
by Parliament 205
C.
Ratification 206
D. Entry into
Force 206
E. Termination
and Suspension of the Operation of a Treaty 206
Chapter 2. Taxing and
Spending Power 207
§ 1. Taxing
Power 207
I. General 207
II. Imposition
of Taxes 207
III.
Constitutional Principles 208
A. The
Principle of Legality 208
B. The
Principle of Equality 208
§ 2. Spending
Power 208
I. The
Principle of Legality 208
II. The
Principle of Annuality 208
III.
Preparation and Implementation of the Budget 209
IV. Auditing
209
Chapter 3. Emergency
Laws 211
§ 1. The State
of
I. Declaration
of a State of
II.
Declaration of Martial Law 212
§ 2.
Suspension of Rights and Freedoms 212
Chapter 4. The Power of
the Military 216
§ 1. General
216
§ 2. The
National Security Council 216
§ 3. Other
Constitutional Provisions Concerning the Military 218
Chapter 5. The
Constitutional Relationship between Religion
and State 220
§ 1. State
Control over Religion 220
§ 2.
Constitutional Problems concerning Secularism 222
I. The
Headscarf Case 222
II. Political
Party Cases 223
Index 227
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