Will early elections in Turkey follow paid military service?

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu made two key remarks, among many others, during his speech to the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Parti) parliamentary group on Dec. 2.

The first was about the possibility of lowering the 10 percent election threshold, as well as the possibility of holding parliamentary elections earlier than the currently scheduled June 2015.

On the threshold, Davutoğlu said his party was “not afraid of election thresholds,” without even hinting about the case currently in the Constitutional Court that claims it is a violation of political rights. On holding the elections before June 7, he used decisive language and said, “No,” the elections will be “on time.”

The second statement related to paid military service. Davutoğlu said he had some good news for those waiting to pay for their compulsory military service, revealing that men aged 28 and below who have yet to do their military service by Jan. 1, 2015 could pay 18,000 Turkish Liras (nearly $8,100) to exempt themselves.

Davutoğlu said nearly 700,000 people fall into this category, and all revenue earned from the scheme will be added to the budget for the modernization of the Turkish Armed Forces.

There is nothing wrong in either of the statements; after all, they are political decisions made by an
elected government. However, just one-and-a-half months ago on Oct. 17, Davutoğlu had said the following about paid exemptions from military service: “There is no way that poor boys will have to serve in the military while rich boys will be able to pay to not do so.”

The following are the words of President Erdoğan, just 20 days ago, on Nov. 11: “There are positive and negative aspects of the issue. From time...