The first step of the Democracy Alliance, for which the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has been calling for a long time became concrete when the representatives of 8 left socialist parties met in Ankara on January 18. Within the scope of HDP's call for the Alliance of Democracy, the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP), the Social Freedom Party (TÖP), the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), the Working People's Party (EHP), the Labor Party (EMEP), and the Socialist Councils Federation (SMF) met.

 

In the common position announced after the meeting, it was decided to continue the regular meetings in order to continue the common struggle, to strengthen the ground of struggle, to determine the common struggle issues and to create a calendar on this issue.

 

Ayşegül Devecioğlu, a member of the Union for Democracy (DIB) Coordination, made evaluations about the meeting of 8 parties, the common attitude of these parties and the Democracy Alliance.

 

JOINT STRUGGLE

 

Devecioğlu stated that they thinks that the meeting held unifying in terms of defending democracy extremely promising, and said: "Turkey needs such a hope, a joint struggle. We, as the DIB, hope that the next steps will be taken as broadly as possible to turn this process into a joint struggle.”

 

AN IMPORTANT STEP

 

Stating that they are not in favour of an election partnership, and there are some uncertainties regarding the elections, Devecioğlu said: "We don't know when the elections will be held or under which circumstances it will be held. A democracy alliance needs to be acknowladging the elections but not focusing only on elections. It needs to have something to offer for the needs of the people. The people have a demand for a change, a transformation. However, the political will to respond to this demand for change and transformation has not yet been formed. Considering all these, we believe that the meeting was a very important step.”

 

A THIRD ALLIANCE IS ESSENTIAL

 

Stating that the People's Alliance and Nation Alliance will not find a solution to the needs of the people, Devecioğlu said, “It seems that they agreed on the proposal for a strengthened parliamentary system. However, considering the situation in the country, unemployment, poverty and increase in the prices, it is seen that a much more systematic and radical transformation is needed. There are many capital-oriented program proposals. Therefore, it is essential to create a third alliance that will voice the demands of the people and be a solution. There should be an option where the public will have a say. There should be a grassroots democracy movement in which people's participation and control mechanisms are built.

 

THE CONSTRUCTION OF UNITY

 

Stating that the will that organised the meeting is essential and that there is no reason that this unity can not be realised, Devecioğlu said: "The people also has an expectation in that regard. The meeting gave positive results and it showed that the parties understands each other's differences but have a will to a partnership. In the disaster that we are living through, we know that we can have a joint understanding in certain principles. The parties will built this unity with practicle steps." 

 

ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC POLICY

 

Devecioğlu drew attention to the fact that the democracy alliance has a potential for solution unlike other alliances, told that the structures that come together are structures that highlight the needs of the people without any interest. Devecioğlu said, “We read many suggestions of the left and democracy forces regarding the steps to be taken. We have a program. However, how to become partners in this program will be the subject of discussion in the coming period. This is an urgent need. They will put forward an alternative economic program to the economic problems we experience. No one else in this country can do this but the structures that come together here today.”

 

'IT HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE PEOPLE'

 

Underlining that the meeting has a positive effect on the people, Devecioğlu said: "This shows that there is a great expectation and a need. What these left parties need to do is to meet that need from now on. This is our responsibility to the people. It is the wish of both the society and the DIB movement that this allience take steps by minimizing differences as much as possible and emphasizing the effort to a common struggle. We had a meeting on December 16. We gathered all these parties. At the meeting, we made a call to the DIB assembly, which is the structure that embraces all the pursuit of alliances and provides its contact. I repeat this call. The DIB Council can be a ground where many structures come together and come into contact. We invite all forces to this ground

 

 

MA / Kadir Güney