A delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party met with Australian lawmakers on Sunday to discuss Turkey’s political climate, the government’s trustee policy and the Kurdish issue.
The delegation, led by the deputy co-chairs of the DEM Party, Ebru Günay and Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki, held talks with members of the Australian parliament, including Greens senators David Shoebridge and Jordan Steel-John, Greens whip Adam Bants, Labour MP Mike Freelander, as well as members of the Liberal Party and independents. They also met with Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe. The meeting took place in the same room where imprisoned former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş previously addressed Australian lawmakers, adding symbolic significance to the discussions.
According to the party’s statement, discussions focused on Turkey’s continued political pressure on opposition groups, in particular the DEM Party, which has been subjected to legal restrictions and a systematic crackdown. The delegation criticised the Turkish government’s continued practice of appointing trustees to replace elected mayors in predominantly Kurdish municipalities, describing it as a violation of democratic principles.
The meetings also discussed the Kurdish question and possible ways to find a peaceful solution. The DEM Party representatives stressed the importance of democratic engagement, the rule of law and respect for human rights in Turkish-Australian relations. They also called for the establishment of permanent channels of dialogue between Australian political parties and the DEM Party to discuss regional stability, particularly in the context of the fight against ISIS, where Australia is part of the Global Coalition.
Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) defends the trustee policy as a necessary measure to counter alleged links between pro-Kurdish politicians and militant groups. Critics, however, argue that it undermines local democracy and disenfranchises voters in Kurdish-majority regions.
