Labour and Freedom Alliance

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Labour and Freedom Alliance
Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı
Founded25 August 2022
Ideology
Political positionLeft-wing to far-left
Members
Colors    Red and purple
SloganTogether we will succeed!
(Turkish: Hep birlikte başaracağız!)[3]
Grand National Assembly
65 / 600
Metropolitan municipalities
0 / 30
[a]
Provincial mayorship
5 / 51
[b]
District municipalities
6 / 1,351
Provincial councillors
101 / 1,251
Municipalial Assemblies
1,232 / 20,498
Metropolitan Municipal Assemblies
146 / 2,591

The Labour and Freedom Alliance[c] (Turkish: Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı, Kurdish: Hevkariya Ked û Azadiyê) is a left-wing electoral alliance in Turkey, formed by Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Parti), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), Labour Party (EMEP), Labourist Movement Party (EHP), Social Freedom Party (TÖP) and Federation of Socialist Assemblies (SMF).[5] The alliance declared its foundation on 25 August 2022. In their declaration, the member parties jointly proclaimed that the alliance aims "equality, freedom, fraternity, peace and democracy for the Turkish society."[4]

Foundation[edit]

The initial process of alliance negotiations started with meetings of individual parties.[6] In early 2022, HDP openly called for left-wing parties to build a political alliance and invited TİP, EMEP, EHP, TÖP, SMF, SOL Parti and TKP for a preliminary gathering and discussion. SOL Parti immediately announced that they would not participate in discussions, citing disagreements on timing and strategy,[7] while TKP declared their withdrawal after the first meeting.[8][d] Although part of the meetings throughout, Halkevleri decided to not take part in the final formation of the alliance due to their reluctance to focus on upcoming elections, although adding that they would support the goals of the alliance.[10]

Labour and Freedom Alliance announcing its political goals on 24 September 2022

The parties declared that the political program and the roadmap of the alliance will be announced in Haliç Congress Center, İstanbul on 24 September 2022.[11] Eighty literary figures from Turkey, including names like Murathan Mungan, Zülfü Livaneli, İnci Aral and Ahmet Ümit, signed a public declaration to support the alliance's foundation and its political goals.[12] On 22 March 2023, the parties declared that they would not field a presidential candidate for the 2023 Turkish presidential election, boosting the chances of the Republican People's Party and Nation Alliance candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.[13] The alliance later endorsed Kılıçdaroğlu on 27 April 2023 in opposition to incumbent President Erdoğan's campaign.[14]

Ideology[edit]

The member parties declared they would announce the alliance's guiding principles and political programme in September 2022.[5] The leader of EMEP, Ercüment Akdeniz [tr] pointed out that the strengthening of secularism, the democratization of the country, equal citizenship rights and putting an end to the economic, societal and environmental exploitation are the main political focuses while adding that the alliance should aim to expand beyond its current members.[15] Erkan Baş, leader of TİP, maintained that the alliance should constitute a credible alternative for "millions of people who are not (properly) represented by Nation or People's Alliance"[16] and successfully encompass "workers, young people, farmers, women, LGBTI community, Kurds and Alevis".[17]

Per the political declaration of the alliance, the parties offer an egalitarian, environmentalist, democratic and feminist vision for Turkey, while denouncing the pro-business, crony capitalist, neo-liberal and authoritarian practices of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments.[18]

Composition[edit]

Party Abbr. Leader Ideology Position Seats in parliament
Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party
Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi 		DEM Parti Tulay Hatımoğulları Oruç
Tuncer Bakırhan 		Regionalism
Green politics
Direct democracy
Left-libertarianism
Left-wing populism 		Centre-left to left-wing
57 / 600
Peoples' Democratic Party
Halkların Demokratik Partisi 		HDP Mithat Sancar
Pervin Buldan 		Minority rights
Democratic socialism
Social democracy
Regionalism 		Centre-left to left-wing
0 / 600
Workers' Party of Turkey
Türkiye İşçi Partisi 		TİP Erkan Baş Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Left-wing populism 		Left-wing to far-left
3 / 600
Democratic Regions Party
Demokratik Bölgeler Partisi 		DBP Salihe Aydeniz
Keskin Bayındır 		Kurdish nationalism
Social democracy
Democratic socialism
Regionalism 		Left-wing
2 / 600
Labour Party
Emek Partisi 		EMEP Ercüment Akdeniz [tr] Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Hoxhaism
Anti-revisionism 		Far-left
2 / 600
Labourist Movement Party
Emekçi Hareket Partisi 		EHP Hakan Öztürk Communism
Marxism–Leninism 		Far-left
0 / 600
Social Freedom Party
Toplumsal Özgürlük Partisi 		TÖP Perihan Koca Communism
Marxism–Leninism 		Left-wing to far-left
0 / 600
Federation of Socialist Assemblies
Sosyalist Meclisler Federasyonu 		SMF Collective Leadership Communism
Maoism 		Far-left
N/A

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Originally 3 were elected, but were removed with trustee appointed in their place
  2. ^ Originally 5 were elected, but were removed with trustee appointed in their place
  3. ^ The alliance is also colloquially known as the Third Alliance (Üçüncü İttifak in Turkish) by the Turkish media and society, as this alliance constitutes the third largest composition of parties, and was announced after the People's and Nation Alliance.[4]
  4. ^ SOL Parti and TKP announced another electoral alliance with different left-wing parties called Union of Socialist Forces.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Duvar, Gazete (24 September 2022). "Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı deklarasyonu açıklandı". www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/emek-ve-ozgurluk-ittifaki-deklarasyonu-aciklandi-haber-1582368 (in Turkish). Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı deklarasyonu açıklandı". Duvar. Retrieved 5 December 2022. Farklı kültürlere, kimliklere, inançlara ve yaşam tarzlarına saygıya dayalı eşit yurttaşlık hakkının temel bir ilke olarak benimsenmesi [...] Diyalog ve çözüm zeminini kurmak ve güçlendirmek ve demokratik müzakere yöntemleriyle tüm toplum için geleceğin kazanılmasına önayak olmak; bu çerçevede, başta anadili hakkı olmak üzere tüm evrensel kimlik haklarının tanınması için gerekli düzenlemelerin yapılması büyük önem taşımaktadır.
  3. ^ "Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı seçimleri nasıl etkileyecek?". Gazete Duvar. 27 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Üçüncü ittifak ilan edildi: Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı - Diken". www.diken.com.tr. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b Gazetesi, Evrensel. "Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı kuruluyor!". Evrensel.net (in Turkish). Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  6. ^ "HDP'den EMEP ve TİP'e ziyaret". amp.artigercek.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Sol Parti: HDP'nin çağrısıyla gerçekleşecek 'Demokrasi İttifakı' adı altında yapılacak çalışmanın parçası değiliz". Independent Türkçe (in Turkish). 17 January 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  8. ^ "TKP'den, HDP'nin çağrısıyla gerçekleşen yeni toplantıya ilişkin karar". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Sosyalist Güç Birliği kuruldu: 'Bu halk düşmanı rejime son vereceğiz'". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Halkevleri Genel Başkanı Nebiye Merttürk: "Neoliberalizme ve faşizme karşı direnişin barikatlarını örgütleyecek, direnişte birleşeceğiz"". Sendika.Org (in Turkish). 26 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  11. ^ "HDP: Emeğin ve Özgürlüğün İttifakı yola çıkıyor". Dokuz8 Haber (in Turkish). Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Edebiyatçılardan Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı'na destek". ilerihaber.org. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  13. ^ Hacaoglu, Selcan; Kozok, Firat (22 March 2023). "Erdogan's Path to Power Narrows as Key Party HDP Steps Out of Race". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Kurdish-left alliance declares support for Kılıçdaroğlu in presidential election". Bianet. 28 April 2023.
  15. ^ Gazetesi, Evrensel. "EMEP Genel Başkanı Akdeniz, Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı çalışmalarını anlattı". Evrensel.net (in Turkish). Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Erkan Baş: üçüncü bir ittifaka ihtiyaç var!". www.7-24esenlerhaber.com (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  17. ^ GMBH, Artı Gerçek-ARTI MEDIA. "'Erkan Baş'tan 'üçüncü ittifak' açıklaması". Arti Gerçek (in Turkish). Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  18. ^ Duvar, Gazete (24 September 2022). "Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı deklarasyonu açıklandı". www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/emek-ve-ozgurluk-ittifaki-deklarasyonu-aciklandi-haber-1582368 (in Turkish). Retrieved 25 September 2022.
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