A rally under the slogan "Let's end war, poverty and oppression - Let's change together" kicked off the election campaign of the Alliance for Labour and Freedom in the western Turkish metropolis of Istanbul on Sunday. With a good 20,000 supporters, the leaders of the member parties came together in the Asian district of Kartal to give a spirited start to the election campaign. The alliance stressed that a change of system in the next elections was a certainty: "We will send the incumbent government to the dustbin of history."

In June at the latest - shortly before his 20th anniversary in power - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to stand for re-election. It will be tight for the would-be sultan, as polls indicate a stalemate. As things stand, Erdogan's Islamist AKP and its far-right coalition partner MHP do not have an absolute majority. The same applies to the opposition alliance of six parties around the republican CHP and the neo-fascist MHP offshoot Iyi Party. The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the Alliance for Labour and Freedom are therefore seen as the kingmakers.

The Alliance for Labour and Freedom was founded last August. In addition to the HDP, the Alliance includes the Social Freedom Party (TÖP), the Labour Movement Party (EHP), the Federation of Socialist Councils (SMF), the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) and the Labour Party (EMEP). The alliance says it has set out to stop the destruction caused by the AKP/MHP coalition in all walks of life, end one-man rule and bring about democratic change. A new economic system that ensures decent working and living conditions, a democracy based on the sovereignty of the people, a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish question, justice, equality and freedom for women, youth, the disabled and other disadvantaged groups, and the protection of nature, the environment and cultural heritage are considered priority areas.

"Today will go down in history as the day when the Turkish and Kurdish people created their own alternative," said TÖP spokesperson Juliana Gözen, who gave the first speech at the rally. "We are taking another step towards the days when labourers can work in decent conditions and live a dignified life. We promise to depose those who have dragged the country into a quagmire, demand accountability from them for stealing from the people, driving them into poverty and plundering the country, depriving us of our rights, declaring war on us in order to prop up their corrupt fascist regime. The existence of the state-political-mafia triad and gang-like cliques within the ruling parties will soon be over. We will win, the warmongers will lose."

EHP Co-Chair Hakan Öztürk stressed that the upcoming elections would determine whether Turkey seizes its chance for democracy or finally slides into an authoritarian and Islamist state. Öztürk rated the Kurdish question as the most urgent problem, which, he said, would have to be solved first in the event of a change of power. "The fact that Turkey has not democratised until today is due to the lack of will to solve the Kurdish question. It is the most structural of the problems of this country." For this reason, he said, Turkey has still not democratised its constitution and has instead institutionalised a one-man regime. "But recognising the will of the Kurds is synonymous with peace and stability," Öztürk stressed. Referring to the Turkish state's wars of expansion in the Kurdish areas of Syria and Iraq, Öztürk said: "We call on the rulers to finally end the war policy and reconcile with the Kurdish people."

HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan said the next elections would be of historic importance. "It will be the choice between light and darkness, between democracy and fascism. And it is the election in which the AKP's light bulb will be irretrievably broken - and Turkey truly brighter," Buldan said. "Turn on the light, let Turkey become brighter" is an advertising slogan of Erdogan's AKP. Its symbol is the light bulb.

“But the exact opposite of light has paralysed the country since it came to power 20 years ago,” said Buldan and stressed that the Alliance for Labour and Freedom has taken up the cause of paving the "way for a dignified peace". “This includes ending isolation in prisons and bringing back the Istanbul Convention. All of us - Kurds, Turks, Alevis, Sunnis, Armenians and Syriacs - we will work together for the realisation of our ideals. I am convinced that we will win. Success will be ours, dear friends. Our motto is: An azadî, an azadî! [Either freedom or freedom].