Yusuf Karakaş
“The case to shut down the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) should not only be considered as the fulfilment of Bahçeli’s request, but also as an expression of Erdoğan’s determination to continue with Bahçeli and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)”, writes Yusuf Karakaş for Evrensel.
Following the calls to shut down the HDP that were voiced by Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a concrete step was taken towards Bahçeli’s demand by Bekir Şahin, with his indictment submitted to the Constitutional Court that has sought to permanently close down the party.
“The MHP’s request has been fulfilled” was one of the first comments that was made by the opposition, following the legal attempts to shut down the HDP. These reactions and comments are not inaccurate.
It is a well-known fact that the political statements of the representatives of the ‘one-man power’ (that has been maintained by the Justice and Development Party and MHP coalition) are seen by the judicial institutions as ‘instructions’. We have seen this before, when President Erdoğan targeted Demirtaş and the HDP over the ‘Kobanê incidents’ and Ankara’s Chief Prosecutor Yüksel Kocaman prepared the ‘Kobani Indictment’ against the HDP after his meeting with Erdoğan at the Palace. Therefore, it can be said that the move against the HDP just before the 13th Ordinary Congress of the MHP is a gift for Bahçeli, the leader of the MHP and a partner of Erdoğan …
However, it would be wrong to consider this party closure case only as at “the MHP’s request” or as “a gift from Erdogan to Bahçeli”. It’s a very famous idiom: ‘Tell me your friend, I’ll tell you who you are!’ So, the case to shut down the HDP should not only be considered as the fulfilment of Bahçeli’s request, but also as an expression of Erdoğan’s determination to continue with Bahçeli and the MHP.
As it is known, the oppressive-authoritarian ‘one-man regime’, which was actually established after the coup attempt in 2016, was institutionalized with the support of Bahçeli (via the 16 April 2017 presidential referendum). After that date, Erdoğan and Bahçeli planned all their moves together with regard to the political design of the country …
To permanently close the HDP is a pre-measured and planned move in line with the political goals of Erdoğan and Bahçeli. This is the reflection of the ongoing attempts to suppress Kurdish legal politics and this now takes it to a new dimension. However, closing the HDP aims to destroy not only the Kurdish democratic movement but also the democratic political ground. The ‘one-man rule’ tries to maintain and secure his own survival by accusing the opposition of supporting “terrorism” to silence the opposition …
The HDP is a legal political party, established in accordance with the constitution of this country. The role that the HDP played in the ‘solution process’ which was considered as an opportunity for a peaceful democratic solution to the ‘Kurdish problem’ yesterday, has turned into an “evidence of its relationship with terrorism” today. That is why the closure case against the HDP is an expression of the insistence on solving this problem through violent methods, which have caused heavy consequences for the country over the past 30-35 years.
Consequently, the legal attempts to shut down the HDP are important in terms of revealing the attitude of the Erdoğan government, beyond the fulfilment of Bahçeli’s request. It is clear what kind of regime Erdoğan wants to establish through his companionship with the MHP and Bahçeli, who always runs to his help whenever the monopolistic bourgeois needs him.
It is not possible to defend peace and build a democratic future where people live in peace without standing up against the legal attempts to shut down the HDP permanently. That is a step taken by Erdoğan and Bahçeli in the direction of building a fascist regime.
