EMEP: PEOPLES OF TURKEY SAID; ‘PEACE AND DEMOCRACY’

PEOPLES OF TURKEY SAID; ‘PEACE AND DEMOCRACY’
	12 August 2014

We have just had the elections for the President of the republic - the second of three important elections - and the analysis of the results from all different perspectives will follow. The election process has been without regard for basic democratic criteria from the beginning and Prime Minister Erdoğan won with a 51.8% majority. AKP and its supporters are trying to show this as a victory confirming that the only choice for the country is AKP. The CHP voters protesting their party’s choice by not voting and other voters boycotting the elections contributed to Erdoğan receiving the critical level of vote that was enough to win this election. This is by no means an absolute victory for Erdoğan. The improvidence and the boycott of the elections by some left sections have handed the presidency to Erdoğan.

Considering that during the local elections it was mostly Erdoğan rather than his candidates that fronted the campaigns, there is no significant increase in the votes he received. Erdoğan secured an arithmetical rather than a political victory, using the advantages of being in office; using the resources of government finances, governors, district governors, local authorities, businessmen, media, etc. For this reason, the Presidency he narrowly secured might be legal but does not ensure legitimacy in the public eye.

The candidacy of İhsanoğlu, supported by the CHP-MHP political front but in reality representing the same ideological origin as Erdoğan, failed to meet the demands of the public. It has been proven that the tactics of “unity against Erdoğan, no matter what” has no significance in politics, that the formula is wrong.

Co-chair of HDP Selahattin Demirtaş has, representing democratic and peaceful organisations in these elections, without a doubt doubled votes received in local elections. This has shown that with his political line in supporting the workers’ and the public’s demand of democracy, peace and freedoms, Demirtaş has met the public demand to become a political agent. Demirtaş’s success in receiving votes very close to the threshold is a result of the efforts for democracy and peace by the workers’ movement over the years, and the result has increased the responsibilities of this movement.

The massacres, agitated sectarian conflicts and identity issues in the Middle East have created a greater need both to strengthen the anti-war movement and to increase solidarity among the nations of the region. It is not possible for any other party or constitution to show a tendency to solve these issues.

On the other hand, the problems faced by all identities and sections of society, denounced by problems in the workplace, assimilated, ignored and oppressed are intertwined. The possibilities for candidates and parties with real and clear solutions to problems of the public have been demonstrated to all political parties by the level of votes received by Demirtaş.

The liberal-conservative policies of AKP government and the new President Erdoğan seem likely to persist on enslaving workers, spoiling natural and historical treasures, continuing inequality and increasing pressure on women and reactionary ignorance of identities and beliefs. From this perspective, the duty to unite and develop the struggles of all the oppressed and exploited sections of the society is still very current.

In short, the message from this election has been to continue the struggle. We call on all workers, peace and democratic forces to unite and struggle together.

Selma GÜRKAN

President