A left-wing election alliance led by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) announced a joint political declaration in İstanbul on Saturday.
The Labour and Freedom Alliance was formed last month to wage a common democratic struggle in the presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey, currently scheduled for 2023.
Representatives of the HDP, the Labourers Movement Party (EHP), Labour Party (EMEP), the Federation of Socialist Assemblies (SMF), the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) and the Social Freedom Party (TÖP) met with their supporters in İstanbul to share their political priorities as elections approach.
A joint declaration shared with the public said the elections had critical importance for Turkey, adding that though the struggle for democracy should not lead people to tie all their hopes to the elections, at the same time they should not ignore the importance of the ballot box.
The alliance between the six parties is in fact an alliance of workers, poor people, women, youth, and advocates for nature and human rights, it said.
A new economic system ensuring dignified working and living conditions, a democracy based on popular sovereignty, a peaceful and democratic solution for the country’s Kurdish issue, justice, equality and freedom for women, as well as for the youth, the disabled and other disadvantaged groups, and the protection of nature, the environment and cultural heritage were listed as main priority areas in the declaration.
“The people of Turkey are not condemned to the dominant political environment squeezed between the People’s Alliance and the Nation Alliance,” the declaration said, referring to rival alliances which both have intrinsically similar policies in many ways; one formed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the other that brought together six parties led by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The left-wing alliance called people to join the common struggle for building a new Turkey where democracy and freedoms prevail.
