The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) will go through its critique-self criticism mechanisms to learn from the mistakes of the recent election campaign and prepare for the coming period, party spokeswoman Ebru Günay told reporters on Thursday.
“Our aim is renewal, without seeking refuge in any excuse,” Günay said. “To renew ourselves in terms of policy and organisational structure, to fulfil requirements of an assessment without excuses.”
The party’s MPs, newly elected under the Green Left Party umbrella, convened in the HDP headquarters later in the day to discuss developments. On Friday, the central executive committee will hold a separate meeting, followed by the caucus, women’s assemblies and provincial branches meeting between Sunday and Tuesday.
“We will get through this organised assessment period without heeding any operations against us,” Günay said. “This period cannot be faced via individual decisions or initiatives, nor can existing shortcomings be addressed that way.”
A series of discussions will conclude in a large-scale congress process, according to the spokeswoman.
HDP did not put up former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş as a presidential candidate in the May elections because of Demirtaş’s legal standing, Günay said. The former co-chair had run for president in two elections previously, and has been behind bars since November 2016 on several terrorism charges, which the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has deemed “politically motivated” and not based in evidence.
“He also proposed to field a female candidate in our discussions,” Günay said.
After internal discussions, the alliance decided to not put up its own candidate, instead backing main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu against incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “With the February earthquakes, a new period began in Turkey’s politics,” Günay said.
Demirtaş was consulted by party officials during discussions, she added. “His criticisms are valuable to us. We will be making decisions altogether, in the congress and conference procedures.”