Next election will be most important in Turkey's history, says Demirtaş

Photo: Selahattin Demirtaş/Twitter

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The next election will be the most important one in the history of Turkey, Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) imprisoned former co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş has said.

"There are many reasons that make the elections so important. Most notable among them is that the Presidential Government System targets, or rather imposes, a regime change rather than a system change," he wrote in an article published on the T24 news portal today (September 13).

"If [the government] wins one more election and achieves legitimacy with public support, the danger of the institutionalization of the authoritarian regime will be strengthened," he wrote. "In this case, Turkey will spend decades being dragged into a darker environment."

However, he said, if the opposition wins the next election, the possibility will arise for the solution of the "hundred-years-long problems of the Republic."

"I think no election in our history has carried so many serious dangers and opportunities at once," wrote Demirtaş.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have been working on a new draft constitution which they say will further establish the presidential system.

According to recent polls for the 2023 elections, neither the AKP-MHP alliance nor the alliance of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the İYİ (Good) Party is able to get the majority of the votes, which makes the HDP's support for the opposition crucial.

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"It is understood that the AKP and [President] Erdoğan do not have the intention, the capacity and the desire to turn to democracy. But, does the opposition have this capacity and intention? When we consider the entire opposition, we can't comfortably say 'yes.' Because it still approaches democracy tactically, it hasn't been able to make it a strategic target.

"As far as I can see, the HDP is preparing to announce a declaration of stance to close this gap. It is greatly beneficial for the future of Turkey that all political powers, including the government and the opposition, take seriously the HDP and the principles it will announce. The HDP won't take seriously those who are not willing to take its democratic principles seriously and discuss them.

"... There is no need to wait until the election day to see what this means. Let's say in advance, those who do not take the HDP seriously, those who do not turn democracy into a strategic goal and program will lose. We will continue to resist and strive for the struggle for democracy and freedom. But we don't know what others will do."

"Principled alliances"

"For the last part, let me say that the elections will not solve all of our problems like a magic wand, they will just create a strong basis for a solution. And this basis is democracy. If we cannot establish a democracy, we cannot have the opportunity to solve our problems.

"The main work to be done is about the period after the election. It is very important for the opposition to give confidence to the public in this regard. In other words, the administration to be elected should declare a program ensuring that it will not take over the state after a while and disregard and oppress all other segments other than itself.

"Also, the government should not rely on a single political line or person, the mistakes that were done when the Republic and the state were being reconstructed a hundred years ago; qualified cadres from all segments, including the Kurds, Alevis, conservatives, socialists, Atatürkists, democratic nationalists, should be able to stand side by side on the common denominator of democracy. This is the only way that democracy can become institutionalized and permanent. Principles first, then principled alliances." (DŞ/VK)