Green Left Party's Amed co-spokespersons Abbas Şahin and Pınar Tekin spoke to ANF about the upcoming elections in May.

Şahin revealed that their party is not really a new party, as it was founded in 2012, but it has become more active this year. Şahin pointed out that party closures and democratic backsliding have always been commonplace in Turkey.

He said: “Especially in a country like Turkey, we have to be prepared for everything in democratic politics since the judiciary is controlled by the government to crackdown on opposition groups. It's a tradition we inherited from our people. In other words, we can lead certain political processes, but our people fulfil the main duties of this leadership. After we kicked off, our people had already begun to recognize the 'Green Left Party'. It is already known that all kinds of barriers and hindrances have been introduced to prevent democratic politics. The only reason for establishing the 10% electoral threshold was to prevent the Kurdish people from being represented in the parliament. When this failed, they introduced a different system. They aimed to eliminate the independence of the judiciary, which is a must for democracy. We knew that there would be a very serious crackdown on us since the judiciary, legislature and executive were united in one hand. Our people knew this very well.”

Green Left Party promotes democratic politics

Şahin continued: “As a result, our people supported our party very quickly when we started the election campaign, because they thought that anything could happen at any moment. We have seen people who attach great importance to democratic politics. The Kurdish people are a political people. This is so because of the troubles they have been subjected to. In particular, the state repression against dissidents has not changed at all for 100 years. All kinds of ways and methods have been used to destroy the opposition and democratic politics, but they have failed. When we look at the party constitution of the Green Left Party, we see that our party promotes democratic politics, which can handle the challenges of contemporary politics.”

Our people are politically minded

Şahin emphasized that the Kurdish people are not far from their party’s ideological orientation, since their party advocates ecological and gender equality, freedoms, local and direct democracy. Şahin remarked: “Our people know that they will make a conscious choice. We have recently been asked how we will introduce the party to the public in a two-month period before the elections. This is a very important question. There is also a very easy answer to it. The public did not forget the previous elections when our illiterate elders used ropes to determine the place of their party in voting papers. The system hasn't forgotten it. They still bear a grudge against it. That's why they changed the election system multiple times. Although they try to create confusion by making changes in the election system, our people adapt very quickly.”

We will build a future together

Co-spokeswoman Pınar Tekin said that voters who are loyal to their party and struggle would never be confused when the elections come. She said: “Our people are crystal clear on their vote. Of course, we will be on the streets with our people during the campaign. We will try to explain to them how to build a new future with women and young people. In solidarity with our people in neighbourhoods, villages and all areas, we will really destroy a 100-year-old fascism together.

We can establish a common language with women

Tekin revealed that election polls showed that women's interest in their parties is significantly high. She said: “Women understand each other's language very well. Since women have similar concerns and are exposed to domination, they can easily grasp a common language. The body, identity and existence of women are ignored. In other words, we are trying to vindicate our existence by fighting this ignorance.”

Tekin added: “When women come together, they can get that spiritual strength from  simple eye contact, since our concerns, pains and expectations are common. It is not easy to deal with a state mentality that does not recognize women in all areas of life. While we, women, are fighting unrecognition, we are also honoured with this struggle. For instance, we are also struggling for Nagihan Akarsel's legacy. We are expanding our struggle so that our women can have a voice everywhere. Because society gets better with women. It is the women activists who have recently made the motto 'Jin, Jiyan Azadi' heard all over the world.”