"AKP’s Perception of In-Party Democracy Reflects on Turkey”

bianet talked to one of the founders of Justice and Development Party (AKP) and former Vice President, Ertuğrul Yalçınbayır.

Yalçınbayır emphasized that AKP members against AKP’s practices in the field of freedom of expression, democracy and the violation of human rights have kept silent until today and those members won’t even manage to form a new political organism.

Yalçınbayır:

 “AKP promised democracy but…”

 “AKP promised in-party democracy and swore allegiance to democracy and human rights but it is under the influence of an authority: The Presidency.

 “A political party cannot be free without freeing itself from these authorities.

 “When you evaluate AKP in the field of freedom, human rights, convenience with regulations and programs, you see it fails.

 “Turkey is ranked as the 90^th since…”

 “Political parties’ perception of in-party democracy and human rights reflects on the management of the country.”

 “Turkey and our political parties are ranked as the 90^th across the world in the field of democracy.

 “AKP was founded in order to be free from despotism. Deputies of parliament aren’t like automated machines. They can decide where to participate in.

 “Tendency to authoritarianism and the level of democracy…”

“You see there is only one candidate for the presidency and one list of members…

“It makes us see the tendency to authoritarianism and the level of democracy in our country. 

 “Not only AKP…”

“It is not only valid for AKP but also for other political parties. If a country is ruled by such a ruling party and 40% of the people vote for them, the perception of democracy in Turkey is evident.

 “They have kept silent until today”

(Upon the question about the names like Beşir Atalay, Bülent Arınç, Ali Babacan, Mehmet Şimşek and Hüseyin Çelik who are excluded from the party management)

 “Including Abdullah Gül, they all have kept silent until today against the violations of the party regulations. All of them indirectly supported today’s situation.

 “I don’t think they can manage a new political movement because they still have expectations from the AKP’s ruling.  (EKN/BD)

 Click here to read the article in Turkish