TURKIYE

Labor and Freedom Alliance votes to enter the election as a coalition

The Labor and Freedom Alliance decided to enter the election with the same name. "We will share our common stance on the presidential election as soon as possible," the Alliance said.

ANF
ANKARA
Friday, 17 Mar 2023, 11:59

The Labor and Freedom Alliance published its final declaration after a meeting on Thursday.

The statement said: "The components of the Labor and Freedom Alliance are the Labor Movement Party (EHP), the Labor Party (EMEP), the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the Socialist Assemblies Federation (SMF), the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP) and the Social Freedom Party (TOP). As co-chairs, presidents and spokespersons, we met in Ankara to discuss the topics on the agenda, including earthquake and flood disasters, deepening crises, presidential and parliamentary elections.

The government's anti-people policies based on corruption and plunder threaten the present and future of society by causing crises. The destruction, loss of life and property in the Maraş Pazarcık-centered earthquakes of 6 February and the floods in the Urfa and Adıyaman on 15 March were the most obvious and tragic indicators of these policies. We totally reject the evaluation of the disaster as a "natural disaster or destiny plan". As the Labor and Freedom Alliance, we are committed to changing this government that is hostile to the people and nature and the order that paved the way for disasters, to hold those responsible accountable and to build a new life worthy of human dignity.”

The statement continued: “We are on the eve of an election that will change Turkey. With the awareness of our historical and political responsibility that will turn the expectations of society into hope and build a democratic and free future, we say that:

-A will has emerged to expand the process that we started as a struggle alliance into an electoral alliance. We have therefore decided to enter the election as the Labor and Freedom Alliance. Technical work will be based on the ways and methods that will protect and develop the gains of all the powers that are components of the alliance, especially the HDP.

-We had a wide-ranging discussion about the presidential election. After the earthquake, we decided to re-evaluate the presidential candidate selection process. We have decided to share our common stance, which emerged as a result of the discussion we had on Thursday, with the public at a press conference to be held in a very near future.

- In an atmosphere where political bans and lawsuits, violence and oppression continue to increase, we continue our joint efforts with all segments of society to guarantee a safe election process and ballot box security.

We will fill the squares on Newroz and 1 May with the strength we derive from the struggle of the women who turned the streets purple on 8 March. Together with all the forces of democracy, we will win. We will end the one-man regime.”

Socialist Alliance of Australia expresses solidarity with the HDP

The Socialist Alliance of Australia joined the global calls for an end to the repression of the HDP.

ANF
NEWS DESK
Thursday, 16 Mar 2023, 09:54

The Erdoğan government in Turkey has used a corrupted judiciary to carry out a sustained campaign of persecution against the HDP over many years.

The Socialist Alliance of Australia joined the global calls for an end to the repression of the HDP.

In a previous statement, the Socialist Alliance said: "The anti-democratic and hate-mongering regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is determined to suppress the HDP and all other expressions of popular democracy in Turkey and has used a corrupted judiciary to carry out a sustained campaign of repression against the HDP and its allies over many years.

The HDP's leaders, parliamentarians, mayors and other local government representatives have been removed from office and imprisoned after they were democratically elected.

Even more rank and file activists of the HDP have been brutally assaulted and imprisoned.

The Erdoğan regime seeks to criminalise the HDP for standing up for peace, democracy and justice – and particularly for speaking up for the rights of the Kurdish people."