Debates over Turkey's post-referendum political alliances

Following Turkey's controversial referendum, pro-establishment parties and groups have started to debate over building of political alliances in an attempt to merge the referendum's 'yes' and 'no' sides
Tuesday, 09 May 2017 06:46

Following Turkey’s controversial referendum of April 16, which resulted in a narrow margin in favour of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) amid electoral frauds, debates over post-referendum political alliances between pro-establishment forces have started in Turkey.

MAIN OPPOSITION CHP: “WE SHOULD PERSUADE THOSE WHO SAID ‘YES’ OF THIS DEMOCRATIC FRONT”

Lawmaker Aytuğ Atıcı from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) talked about the possibilities of alliances after the dubious referendum. Atıcı set forth that the quest of alliances stems from “the aspiration for coexistence and the need of democracy,” while the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) argues that the alliance should be ensured not on the basis of inter-organizational agreements but on the electoral base.

Stating that the quest for alliances by means of parties, groups or personal interests would fail and be harmful, Atıcı says, “We need to search for a vast alliance. As Demirtaş said, we also should persuade those who said ‘yes’ of this democratic front. It would be dangerous to divide the society during the quest of alliances.”

Jailed leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtaş made a referendum analysis last week and said: “In my opinion, it would be wrong and dangerous to see the society as two separate camps as the ‘yes’ side and the ‘no’ side. Therefore, describing the bloc of democracy only with the ‘no’ side would be an unfair accusation against the other half of the society. Possibilities for new alliances may be shaped within the common ground of democracy in the forthcoming period. There will many shifts within the political parameters until 2019.”

“All kind of alliances based on principles could be possible”, Atıcı answered a question whether an approach could emerge between CHP and HDP, indicating to former alliances between the Kurdish movement and CHP and SHP (Social Democratic People’s Party, former political party dissolved in 2010). Atıcı continued: “Forming an alliance does not stand for an unprincipled stance. Insisting on impossible alliances would not be right. We need to give time for it”, arguing that the alliance of CHP and HDP is a matter of time.

“We need to come together on the basis of principles, then the names will not matter”, lawmaker Atıcı also pointed out to the post-referendum statement about alliances by Deniz Baykal, the former chair of CHP. Baykal said last week that Abdullah Gül, a founding member of AKP and the 11th President of Turkey, might be the candidate of 49 percent, referring to the “official” vote rate of the ‘no’ campaign during the referendum, in the run-up to Turkey’s presidential elections in 2019.  

PRO-KURDISH OPPOSITION HDP: “OUR DUTY IS TO GATHER ‘YES’ AND ‘NO’ VOTES”

On the other hand, Osman Baydemir, the spokesperson of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), gave a speech on May 8 regarding his party’s central executive committee meeting resolutions. Baydemir started his speech, “We thank to the millions who are against the unjust arrests of Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ. HDP will continue its struggle until Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ will be free.”

As the key figures and co-leaders of HDP, Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ were imprisoned in November 2016. Demirtaş was the candidate of HDP during Turkey’s 2014 presidential elections. Having been jailed since November 2016 on charges of links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Selahattin Demirtaş was punished with 5-month imprisonment in February 2017, while Figen Yüksekdağ lost her seat in the parliament with 10-month imprisonment.  

Stating that they do not consider the referendum legitimate, Baydemir continued: “The Kurdish people have assertively stood against the repressive policies of the last two years. A solution plan should be launched. This plan will make a great contribution to the building of internal peace in Turkey. 55 percent of the society said ‘no’ while 45 percent said ‘yes’. Our duty is to build a new social contract that will gather those who said ‘yes’ and ‘no’.”  

However, in answer to the questions of journalists during the press conference, Baydemir said: “HDP stands for solutions. We make a call for alliance on everyone who demands equality, freedom, pluralism of identities against the war. Let’s unite our hopes.”