The Green Left Party (YSP) has presented its women candidates for the parliamentary elections in Turkey on 14 May. The presentation took place at the Chamber of Engineers in Ankara on Tuesday. The event was attended by YSP spokesperson Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar, HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) co-chair Pervin Buldan and HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress) spokesperson Esengül Demir, as well as HDP MPs and party representatives from the Labour and Freedom Alliance.

The event began with a minute's silence in memory of Jina Mahsa Amini, who was murdered by the Iranian state, and the women who were killed in the struggle for freedom and as a result of male violence. A video documentary on the political struggle of women was shown afterwards. The recorded speeches of imprisoned female politicians Leyla Güven, Gültan Kışanak, Sebahat Tuncel and Figen Yüksekdağ were met with prolonged applause.

“WE WILL CHANGE THE SYSTEM TOGETHER”

YSP spokesperson Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar gave a speech, which she introduced with a greeting in her mother language, Kirmanckî: "We all know the long struggle of women, a long path of struggle. Today we have come together to take this struggle to a new level. I am glad that we are together. I am glad that we are side by side. I am glad that this march continues. We are starting an important process together. As we have just seen in the video, we have been left a very strong legacy. From here, as women of the Green Left Party, we want to promise you and all the women watching us that we will continue and expand this struggle together."

Remarking that the YSP stands for a democratic republic and a free and democratic future for Turkey, Uçar said: "We will change the one-man regime and the system together. We are together, we will hold the regime accountable together. Similarly, the YSP stands for the principle of the co-presidency system and the Istanbul Convention on the Protection of Women from Violence. For these reasons, over a thousand women applied to the YSP to run for office. We set out to build a new life. Jin, Jiyan, Azadî!"

"WE MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS"

The co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Pervin Buldan, welcomed those present in her mother tongue, Kurmancî, and remembered political prisoners such as Gültan Kışanak, Figen Yüksekdağ, Sebahat Tuncel, Leyla Güven, Ayla Akat Ata and "hundreds of my dear friends who have been held hostage for five years and still try to contribute to the struggle with their hearts and determination, even if they are not here today."

Buldan expressed her gratitude to her female parliamentary group colleagues who are not running for another term and said that the common struggle will continue outside the parliament: "We will never leave the streets and the spaces of our struggle against the AKP/MHP government that disregards women's work, does not see the sweat on their foreheads, tries to lock them in the house, interferes with their clothes and dares to decide how many children they will give birth to. We ourselves decide what we wear, what make-up we wear and how many children we give birth to. We are not and will not be anyone's child, mother, wife or spouse. We are women who stand up of our own free will, make our own choices and fight an honourable struggle. At the same time, we are a big women's party fighting and preparing for 14 May with great enthusiasm and determination to send those who rule this country. Even if they try to close down the HDP, we will be on the streets day and night until 14 May to ensure the strongest representation in parliament with our new address with the Green Left. Everyone will see that the Green Left Party will take its place in the parliament with the largest representation of women. We are preparing to enter parliament with 45 per cent. The Green Left Party will have the largest percentage of women MPs. So far it was in the HDP, now it will be in the Green Left Party."

The HDP co-chair also pointed out that today was the date for their oral defence in the ban proceedings against the party. The HDP announced last week that it would not attend the date in protest. "Instead, we will defend ourselves together here in this hall today. We will defend ourselves together with millions of people in the streets and squares," said Pervin Buldan.

After the speeches, the HDP and DBP (Democratic Regions Party) deputies from the current legislature came on stage and welcomed the women present. Afterwards, the female candidates of the YSP were introduced.