Bahçeli, Erdoğan signal reconciliation with DEM Party with conditions

Duvar English

Turkey’s ruling alliance has been signaling a softening on and reconciliation with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party.

First, government-ally, far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli on Oct. 8 “invited” the DEM Party to “become a party of Turkey.”

Speaking in his party’s parliamentary group meeting, Bahçeli said, “DEM's first and foremost responsibility is to understand the value of this sincere offer, moreover, to perceive and evaluate it as a threshold towards becoming a party of Turkey.”

In a surprising move on Oct. 1, Bahçeli shook hands with DEM Party deputies at the opening session of the Parliament.

When asked about this, Bahçeli then said, “We are entering a new era. While we want peace in the world, we need to ensure peace in our own country.”

In his parliamentary group speech, he again commented on this move and said, “Those who see my move not as political courtesy but as an effort to broaden the front for the upcoming presidential battle and the new constitution are pathetic wretches. The hand I extend is a message of national unity and fraternity. My outstretched hand is the wish and offer to become a party of Turkey, to take a front against terrorism, to unite in our thousand-year fraternity.”

Previously, Bahçeli on several occasions called for the closure of the DEM Party, accusing them of collaborating with the outlawed PKK.

Then, on Oct. 9, President Erdoğan said he found Bahçeli’s offer “very meaningful for the fraternity of 85 million people.”

“We want to see a different discourse in politics in the new legislative year. We believe that we need more reconciliation. We do not avoid any dialog for our nation,” he added.

After his speech, Erdoğan was told that the DEM Party was expecting a “positive step” for the reconciliation during an informal meeting with the journalists.

Erdoğan referred to a journalist and said, “Let Rüya give the answer.”

When A Haber correspondent Rüya Akkuş said, “Let's maintain a moderate political atmosphere without waiting for steps.” Then Erdoğan said, “Rüya gave the answer.”

Erdoğan previously met with main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel after the latter party became the leading party in the March 31st local election. While the meetings sparked hopes for an era of “normalization” in polarized politics, nothing changed substantially in terms of how the government makes politics and how it tries to suppress dissidents.

Meanwhile, DEM Party co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları responded to Bahçeli, and said, “DEM Party is already a party of Turkey. DEM Party is a party where all peoples and beliefs in Turkey are represented. We are already a party of Turkey when we defend freedoms, peace, justice, the rights of the poor, workers, and women in Turkey.”