What Does the Election Strategy of HDP Tell Us?

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While the local elections are less than two months away, the political arena has almost turned into a chessboard. In none of the previous elections have we seen so momentarily changing strategic and tactical moves. It seems that more surprising moves might be made until March 31. In the current situation, while the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) continues to cooperate with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on the local level, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has agreed on an alliance with the İYİ Party. However, it does not necessarily mean that those parties have heaved a sigh of relief in any of the metropolitan municipalities. Because the parties in both alliances are aware that their job is not easy in an equation which does not take the Kurds into account. It is exactly at this point that the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) is at the center of attention as the political party with key importance in various metropolitan municipalities, especially in İstanbul.

Under these circumstances, while the HDP is subjected to immoderate attacks and accusations by one side, the other side cannot ignore the HDP. Because, in the politics of this country, all sides are well aware of the specific weight of the HDP. It is a reality which has been in existence since the general elections on June 7, 2015 but cannot be accepted. It appears that the specific weight of the HDP has taken on an all the more critical importance in the local elections. For that reason, neither the ruling party, nor the opposition parties can produce a policy without the HDP. When the surveys published so far and the discussions in the media are considered, a joint conclusion can be drawn: HDP leads either to the victory or loss of a party. Therefore, no one can deny the key role of the HDP in several metropolitan municipalities.

Role of the HDP in the West

Here, it was important that the HDP was aware of its own specific weight well in advance. Because this awareness was motivating to develop encompassing and rational strategies and to quickly engage in field work. Consequently, it has resulted in a unique election strategy which unites everyone at the intersection of democracy despite their differences. This strategy aims to win back the municipalities in Kurdish geography, to which trustees have been appointed, and to ensure the defeat of AKP-MHP alliance in the West. In the first part of this strategy, the HDP has nominated its co-mayor candidates in multiple ways such as primary elections and tendency polls and forged alliances with Kurdish parties, thereby pioneering in a step based on national unity.

Of course, the biggest hype is around "making the AKP - MHP alliance lose in the West." Because HDP is in a key position in many provinces, including İstanbul. People's Alliance draws its strength essentially from the opposition's inability to come together. Really because of the CHP's timidness, a broad-based democratic force could never be created. But HDP has chosen to be an answer to the society's expectation of democracy, instead of paying attention to the opposition's timidness. For this very reason, rather than acting emotionally, it has made a "sacrifice" for democracy and has not nominated candidates for some metropolitan municipalities. It has not become a part of political speculations and meaningless polemics. Rather, focusing on municipal council memberships in western cities upon a rationalist policy can move HDP's local democracy perspective to western Turkey. Hence, the flexible political stance which considers the specificities of provinces and districts will help the emergence of a more dynamic force in politics.

Not renunciation but sacrifice

Nevertheless, the necessity for HDP to tell its voters its strategy in a comprehensible way is incontrovertible. But the HDP voters, especially Kurds, are aware that this strategy does not basically mean a renunciation from their municipalities but a "sacrifice" for democracy in the West. So it is very possible for HDP to win other provinces and districts along with its own 96 municipalities where trustees were appointed by the government. It does not renunciate from any of these. Having said that, it is clear that striving against the opposition will not contribute to the country's democracy. Anyway, the strategy of "making the alliance lose in the West" has nothing to do with directly supporting any party. For this reason, the political power should be addressed to create a strategic result with a tactical stance. Because it is the executive authority.

In conclusion, the reason for the attacks against the HDP is its specific weight, which became even clearer after the last elections (June 24, 2018). Otherwise, would it make sense to criminalize a political organization which 6 million people vote for? Instead of that, the possibility of an election between the equals should be created. Because it is proven by experience that even more than 6 thousand executives of the HDP are arrested and even if the party is debarred from propaganda means, it has not been possible to break the special bond between the HDP and the peoples of Turkey. And this is the democracy, this is what the sacrifice is for. (İG/HK/SD/VK)