Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)’s candidate Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu wins Dersim municipality according to the unofficial reports.
Maçoğlu was previously the mayor of Ovacık, Dersim. During his term of office, he was already known as the ‘communist mayor’.
He was famous for his cooperative agricultural production model through which Ovacık and neighboring districts have produced pulses including beans and chickpeas, and honey. In this cooperative agricultural production model, the municipality also provided agricultural subsidies, including seeds and gas oil, and purchase guarantee. Ovacık municipality under Maçoğlu was also famous for fiscal transparency.
Dersim will be the first city to be governed by communists in the history of Turkey.
The total number of electors in Dersim is 56,943, of the total population over 86 thousand. According to the unofficial reports, TKP candidate Maçoğlu wins by 32.37% while he is followed by HDP, CHP, and AKP with 28.95%, 20.86%, and 14.11%, respectively.
According to the Turkey Statistical Institution (TUIK), Dersim is ranked the top city in the quality of life index in 2016. According to TUIK, Dersim is among the top-ranking cities with the most educated/literate population. In 2017, Dersim is also ranked the fifth most book reader city.
Aydemir Güler, the head of TKP Istanbul branch, celebrated Maçoğlu on social media: ‘The first communist municipality of Turkey: Dersim! TKP wins Dersim municipality!’
"We will demonstrate to the whole country that a socialist model is possible"
Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu spoke to soL after the election victory.
Noting that they will take over the management from the appointed trustee, Maçoğlu said: "The doors of the municipality will be open to the public, we will publicize all that has been done by the appointed trustee in the last two years. We will administer the municipality with the people."
Adding that they would be convening a public meeting in order to find the best way to collectively administer the province, Maçoğlu said: "We will expand the production and administration system we started in Ovacık". Thanking all his supporters who believed in socialism and supported the campaign in solidarity, Maçoğlu concluded:
"We will demonstrate to the whole country that a socialist model is possible"
