Leftist and socialist parties, together with democratic societal organizations, have called for a return to the streets and the strengthening of the struggle to overcome the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the wake of the 30 March local elections. Parties and other organizations outlined both their victories and engaged in self-criticism in their analyses of the results.

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)

In the wake of the elections, BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş noted that the results demonstrated that there was now stark polarization in Turkey, adding that his party had reached 80% of its aims. The BDP was also devoid of media support, he said, while drawing attention to the gains made by women with the party:

Perhaps the only winners in this election were women. They made some major achievements under the umbrella of the BDP and the HDP [the BDP’s sister party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party]. An important precedent has entered our political life; there are female mayors everywhere.”

Demirtaş also noted that his party had forced back the AKP everywhere in which they competed.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)

Analyzing the elections, HDP co-chair Ertuğrul Kürkçü expressed his happiness that the HDP had succeeded in gaining 8% of the vote together with its sister party, the BDP. Touching on the coming presidential and general elections, Kürkçü said, “We will be in the midst of all political calculations amid these two elections.”

HDP co-chair Sebahat Tuncel, however, engaged in some self-criticism in 1 April comments to the Fırat News Agency (ANF), saying, “These results show once more that instead of the HDP becoming a more powerful alternative and playing a more effective role in Turkey, its tasks and responsibilities are much more pressing.” Noting that the HDP had not yet succeeded in making adequate connections with the people of Turkey, Tuncel said, “We are going to discuss the reasons for this. This notwithstanding, there is now a need for the HDP, and we are in the process of developing policies that will make this party the main opposition in Turkey.”

People’s Houses (Halkevleri)

The 2014 local elections neither provided the solution to the problems of those in power, nor did it absolve the AKP, according to Halkevleri General-Secretary Oya Ersoy, who noted that the demands for respect, freedom, justice, peace and equality that were advanced during the June Rebellion could not be met by the ballot box and that struggle on the street would grow accordingly.

The full statement from the Halkevleri is as follows: The ballot box is no savior, the street will not forgive!

We are currently passing through a historical watershed in which the people have filled the streets with demands for respect, freedom and justice, in which the AKP’s hegemony has been leveled to the ground and in which those in power have attempted to overcome a “crisis of state” by redesigning the political sphere with dirty tricks. Under these circumstances, the 2014 local elections failed to both provide an elixir for those in power and absolve the AKP of its corruption and theft.

The people’s latent mistrust in institutions, the judiciary and state organs was also reflected in their mistrust in the electoral system itself during the polls, which was also marked by people standing guard next to ballot boxes until the morning to protect the vote.

The 2014 local elections have overtly shown that power based on lies, plunder and tyranny will not put an end to the rot at the AKP or the deepening polarization in society.

On the contrary, PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s decision to appear next to the members of his family, including his son Bilal – who has become a symbol of corruption and injustice – for his “balcony speech” openly demonstrated that he intends to protect his power by resorting to violence, conflict and war. Such a policy will only deepen the the crisis.

It falls upon the Halkevleri to act so as to alter the situation so that it benefits the people.

Yes, we are on the streets!

You have walked down these roads for years, exploiting the people’s common values and future and killing them while fattening yourselves. Together, you will be called to account!

The ballot box failed to absolve your rotten power, and it will not do so in the future either!

The demands of the June Rebellion, namely, respect, freedom, justice, peace and equality, were not met at the ballot box, and they will not be in the future either!

Faced with the AKP’s plunder, lies and tyranny, the people again cry out the words heard last June: “This is just the beginning, the struggle continues!”

For the left and socialists, who can seek no benefit other than what benefits the people, the task is clear:

The struggle to create a country where all peoples can live in equality, freedom and peace!

Turkish Communist Party (TKP)

In a statement released 31 March, the TKP’s Central Committee called for citizens not to “bow their heads,” while calling on the masses who believe in the necessity of liberation from dictatorship to support the leftist alternative.

The TKP’s full statement is as follows:

As the Central Committee of the Turkish Communist Party, we are repeating our call to the people “to not bow their heads” after the 30 March elections.

The election has given the AKP dictatorship a chance to renew itself after losing legitimacy following mass struggles. However, the dictatorship must not assume that its victory will give it license to institutionalize fascism. Turkey is not a country to be shoehorned into the fascism of the AKP. In contrast, the AKP has not and will not be given a new license to rule Turkey. As such, today is very much the day to “not bow one’ head.”

The TKP had declared that it is necessary that elections not be held under an illegitimate and criminal administration, that the AKP must resign from the government, that the Turkish Parliament should be abolished, that the way must be opened for an independent investigation of all of the government’s crimes and that a roadmap for early general elections under the oversight of the people must be designed. However, the AKP emerged victorious out of elections that could not be trusted at any stage of the process, from voter registrations to the count.

One of the choices that was proven bankrupt in the elections was attempting to stop the fascist rise with a right-facing Republican People’s Party (CHP). However, after Turkey played host to the resistance of tens of millions, such a policy of balancing out the right with the right wing could only serve to pacify the masses, not overthrow the AKP. As such, we call on the masses who believe in the necessity of securing liberation from dictatorship to support a leftist alternative.

The political crisis will continue to deepen, while the result of the election is crisis.

Against this backdrop, it is clear that the people and progressive forces have failed to produce an alternative.

The only path to negate the dictatorship as it prepares to take new steps based on the election results is to advance from the left.

The TKP attempted to do this during the elections in carrying the values of the June Resistance to the electoral arena. However, the number of our votes showed that we were far from equaling these values.

But in the midst of the darkness, a revolutionary alliance operating under the umbrella of the TKP won the municipality in Ovacık, Dersim. We celebrate this success as comrades with the people of Ovacık and the Democratic Peoples’ Federation (DHF).

The TKP Central Committee will conduct a meeting to assess in a detailed fashion the political situation in the wake of the elections and our Party’s actions.

Party of Labour (EMEP)

EMEP’s Central Committee emphasized the need for “a struggle to create a powerful populist alternative and populist politics” in a statement following the polls, noting that “our efforts and activities to develop and strengthen the HDP-HDK [Peoples’ Democratic Congress], as well as to create an effective center of struggle to provide a solution to the country’s basic problems of democracy will continue.”

The Struggle to Create a Powerful Populist Alternative and Politics

We have just witnessed a local election that felt more like a general election; the debate over who won and who lost will continue for some time to come. But in the interests of viewing the matter from people’s needs and expectations, it would be more beneficial to evaluate the polls in terms of the political consequences that have emerged rather than focus on who won which municipality.

The election results have shown once more that democracy will not emerge from a battle between those in power. At the same time, the elections showed that whether in power or in opposition, all the parties supporting the existing order perceived the working class and other laborers merely as a potential vote, as those parties failed to present political programs that could quench the thirst for democracy.

The prime minister’s insistence on following a long-time policy that has polarized society and the strengthening of this polarization during the election period in the interests of consolidating his base will serve to foment significant and dangerous divisions and enmity within the public in the near future.

Rather than end the extant political crisis, the elections have served to deepen the problems. As a matter of fact, the prime minister signaled through his election-night balcony speech that he would both declare war on those that oppose him and ratchet up tension with Syria. In choosing to deepen the crisis in its domestic and foreign policies for which it is personally responsible, the government is attempting to turn the current situation to its political advantage.

The prime minister, who has repeatedly emphasized that the most fundamental part of democracy is the ballot box, expended great efforts to ensure that the most basic of rules would not be implemented during the election period. During the lead-up to the elections, a number of obstacles were placed in front of workers and laborers, as well as the forces of the people and democracy, to prevent them from engaging in politics, while these obstacles continued on election day with the unleashing of violence in certain area. In the run-up to the vote, there were overt attempts to prevent the Peoples’ Democracy Party from campaigning, even as the ruling AKP unabashedly allocated itself all types of public resources in its campaign activities.

The sole vehicles of democracy are not the parliament and the ballot box. As long as the demands for rights and freedoms of those segments of society who are left without a political voice are not met, this struggle will find new channels in which to express itself and will produce new alternatives to voice the denands of the people.

We will continue our efforts and activities to develop, strengthen and turn the HDP-HDK mechanism, which is the central alliance for the working class, laborers and all oppressed societal groups in their struggle for rights and freedoms, into a powerful center of struggle to help solve the country’s basic democratic problems.

As EMEP, we are aware of the tasks and responsibilities that fall upon us in the wake of the elections. We hereby announce to the public our intention to struggle to create a powerful populist alternative and politics.

Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP)

The co-leaders of the Freedom and Solidarity Party, Alper Taş and Bilge Seçkin Çetinkaya, also issued a press release in the wake of the 30 March 2014 local elections. Emphasizing the need to organize a united opposition, they said, “We will accelerate our efforts to create a foundation for united resistance and solidarity – a position that we have defended for some time.”

The complete statement is as follows:

THE WINNER IS THE BRIBERY AND GRAFT LOBBY

THE TASK IS TO CREATE A UNITED OPPOSITION

The local polls were conducted everywhere in an atmosphere of low-intensity war created by the AKP, and the ballot box was naturally affected.

As evidenced the photo from the prime minister’s balcony speech, the winner was the base bribery and corruption lobby.

The AKP declared a clear victory early with its balcony speech. This notwithstanding, however much these actions appeared to depict a strong Erdoğan and AKP, this move will not succeed in rescuing them from the present crisis. Ultimately, these results will only serve to deepen the crisis in the run-up to the presidential elections.

Moreover, these results will not permit the AKP to alter the situation in which it has increasingly little ability to renew its power and witnessed a deterioration in its power to exercise authority. The people’s willpower to defend their rights will continue to play a critical role in the country both today and in the future.

The socialist-revolutionary movement cannot hope to become an effective force if it cannot present a powerful alternative. The election results require all revolutionaries and opposition forces to develop a common will to alter the situation.

We will accelerate our efforts to create a foundation for united resistance and solidarity – a position that we have defended for some time. Our call to all opposition forces, as well as organized and unorganized revolutionary-socialist groups, is to develop this initiative in common.

Our party participated in the elections with the goal of developing a united opposition, running joint candidates whose strength comes for united people’s assemblies. Regardless of the results, our decision to run such candidates in Hopa, Defne, Arsuz, Narlıdere, Ankara, Edirne, Mazgirt, Fındıklı, Tonya and Avanos has produced important results. At this juncture, our task is to strengthen the people’s assemblies that we have conceived and attempted to create.

As part of an alliance with the DHF, Tekin Türkel was elected as mayor of Mazgirt for our party, while İsmet İnce won in Avanos as part of an alliance with the CHP.

The result in Hopa was an event that saddened all of us, and we must draw lessons from this. However, absolving the CHP, which insisted on running with an AKP-like mentality, and blaming the ÖDP for the AKP’s victory is incorrect. Moreover, the AKP’s seizure of the mayoralty does not entail the loss of Hopa. The people of Hopa will instead deepen the struggle that they have displayed so far and continue to protect their streams, creeks and land.

In addition to 14 localities in which we participated in mayoral races, our party competed in 65% of the contests for assemblies in metropolitan municipalities and provincial assemblies in other provinces. According to unofficial results, we won approximately 60,000 votes in these contests. Without question, these figures are low, but they are extremely valuable for us, and we thank everyone that supported us with their votes.

Without question, we, the left and the societal opposition must seriously evaluate these results. The ÖDP would like to inform the public that it will debate these results, which have proven the need for a renewal of the socialist movement, so as to foster a movement that can better influence the country’s future.

Student Collectives (Öğrenci Kolektifleri)

After the polls, the mass democratic organizations of the universities issued statements emphasizing the primacy of the street. The Student Collectives noted in its statement that the AKP was an illegitimate administration and that the elections were dubious, while adding that “we will achieve victory on the street against the AKP government and its policies that are against the people.”

The complete statement is as follows:

The ballot box will not save the AKP! We began on the street, and we will finish on the street!

Let us say at the outset what we said at the beginning. The AKP is an illegitimate administration and the elections were dubious; we will achieve victory on the street against the AKP government and its policies that are against the people. The millions who poured onto the streets during Gezi showed their true power on the street, shaking the AKP. As such, the place to destroy the AKP is not ballot box, but the street. The ballot box will not save the AKP; the only path is the street.

The AKP won these elections, but the fact that it is an illegitimate government was not altered. The AKP, and in particular Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, no longer retains any legitimacy. In the lead-up to the elections, the AKP’s only hope of concealing its graft was to resort to bans.

The AKP attempted to consolidate its power by constantly deploying a bellicose language against all segments that were not part of its rightist constituency and resorting to lies. During the elections, the AKP government engaged in all types of fraud and impropriety. It was no coincidence that that officials were forced to count votes with flashlights after power was cut during counting. AKP supporters exerted pressure on voters, there were instances of fraud with some ballots while ballots that had already been marked “AKP” were distributed. At polling stations at which the AKP realized it was going to lose, AKP supporters appeared with knives and machetes to intimidate people. In the end, it is clear that these elections were dubious and that the AKP won these elections with lies, fraud and pressure. As such, the winner was an order marked by corruption, theft and bribery.

Speaking after the election, Tayyip Erdoğan – a figure who has failed to feel shame for his murders and theft – posed with all the members of his family, particularly Bilal Erdoğan, even though they are mired in corruption. In his statements, Erdoğan has promised to maintain his power through oppression, war, theft and graft. The AKP, a gang of thieves and murderers, cannot absolve itself at the ballot box, yet the AKP is trying to depict itself as the winner after emerging as the top party in the polls.

The June Rebellion was not an election-based movement, but drew its strength instead from the street; as such, it shows that the AKP can only be defeated on the street. The AKP has attempted to depict rule and policies as “successful” through its cheating and lies at the ballot box, but its greatest fear is the struggle on the street. Although the AKP may be trying to loudly proclaim its victory, its defeat on the street is there for all to see. Because of this, we will again showcase our strength on the street and continue our struggle, just like we did last June.

We will keep our promise to Ethem Sarısülük, Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, Abdullah Cömert, Medeni Yıldırım, Ahmet Atakan, Hasan Ferit Gedik, Ali İsmail Korkmaz and Berkin Elvan. Just as we made the AKP shake in the squares last June, we will continue to resist without cessation.

With stubborn hope for our future and the future of this country, we know there is no other solution but to struggle on the streets. Those who focus merely on the ballot box, those who encourage pragmatism and those who counsel that we avoid the streets will lose while those who draw their strength from the street as during Gezi will be victorious. We will continue on our path just as we did during the June Rebellion, trusting in our strength, acting in solidarity and linking with one another.

There can be no surrender. There can be no suggestion that this country has become uninhabitable. There can be no suggestion that nothing good can come from this people. The youth, who have been a source of hope for millions, have been demonstrating since last June what it will do, and it will show how to destroy the AKP. The streets are ours.

The ballot box will not save the AKP. We will show our strength once more. We started this struggle on the streets, and we will finish it on the streets.

Federation of Idea Clubs (FKF)

In its statement, the Federation of Idea Clubs argued that there was no need for fear and a sense of despair, while declaring a “continuation of the struggle.”

The FKF’s full statement, titled “There is no retreat! Continue the Struggle!” is as follows:

For us, the AKP’s defeat and its legitimacy had become clear long before the polls. The AKP though that it had emerged victorious from the elections by fooling and cheating the people, but it served only to fool itself, not the people.

The AKP has been defeated; it was defeated in June. It was defeated by the cry of “thief” on the streets. It was defeated when millions shouted “murderer” in the wake of our Berkin and when rage against the murderous dictator spread around the country.

It was defeated by the tears of the mothers in Reyhanlı, in June and in Roboski.

It was defeated in the universities, having realized that it had lost when it decided not to appear at schools.

The AKP’s process of defeat has been continuing uninterrupted since June 2013 to the present.

We will not retreat because of its efforts, its fake balcony speeches or its stolen votes.

They say, “Continue down the path”:

Reactionaries, thieves and murderers continued on the path they knew during the elections. For the polls, they drafted war plans, stole votes and engaged in every type of fraud. We refuse to recognize their paths, their election results and their administration!

We also say that we are continuing on our path:

We are continuing on the path of enlightenment, freedom, equality and solidarity. We are continuing on the path of Ali İsmail, Ethem, Ahmet, Abdocan, Medeni, Mehmet and Berkin.

We did not experience a defeat, and we’re not crestfallen. The one that does not know which path to take will experience despair.

We know which road we will take. We trust each other, our generation, our people and ourselves.

The struggle is beginning once more;

Everyone will see these people’s strength once more on May Day.

Everyone will see that the Deniz Gezmiş and his comrades did not die, but returned with the millions on 6 May.

Everyone will see how a 15-year-old child can destroy a dictatorship in June.

There is no retreat, the struggle continues!

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