Demirtaş calls for a 'strong left bloc' for post-AKP era

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Turkey's left and socialist powers should form a "strong left bloc" to build democracy after the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) ends, according to Selahattin Demirtaş.

Kept in prison despite Constitutional Court and European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments, the former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) wrote an article for Diken news portal.

He pointed out that billions of people in Turkey and in the world live in deep poverty under the starvation line and leftist parties and movements have an important duty.

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"If a democracy will be built in the post-AKP Turkey, the construction of a new regime without the left, the voice of the labor should not be allowed," he wrote. "Preparations to me made now for both the process of building democracy and raising the voice of the labor struggle are vitally important."

"Left and socialist powers have to achieve to appear before laborers with a joint declaration of stance, a roadmap and discuss and make clear how they can take part in the construction of democracy after the elections and how they can make the labor struggle dominant in the new period.

"A strong left bloc can be built without considering personal and party interests. This left bloc can be spread in all democratic parties and obtain the power to affect the election and processes after that in favor of laborers. It is not an imperative that everyone unites in the same party.

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"Efforts should be made to make the left a partner in the ruling power with appropriate methods. Bringing qualified, knowledgeable, leftist and laborer cadres to the parliament, bureaucracy and the ruling power should be among the primary targets.

"Of course, you, the friends outside, think and do better than this. Mine is just a suggestion, a mind exercise. I am sure that the HDP will take part in such works and support them with all its power." (KÖ/VK)