Green Left Party and HDP preparing for party congresses, new co-chairs expected

Ceren Bayar / Gazete Duvar

Turkey’s opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and its backup Green Left Party (YSP) will hold party congresses in August and September respectively. 

The YSP became a back-up party of the HDP for the May 14 general elections due to the case seeking a political ban on the party.

Considering the risk of closure, HDP will hold an extraordinary congress in August and will hand over its organization to the YSP. HDP's corporate identity and legal entity will be preserved, but all political processes and organizational activities will continue under the YSP.

In September, the YSP will hold its congress in which the name of the party will change and co-chairs and council members will be elected.

Before the congresses, the parties sought the opinions of their voters and their organizations. Criticisms regarding the election results and the HDP's recent policymaking were noted. The parties held workshops, more than 900 public meetings and visits to nearly 2,000 families, institutions and shopkeepers.

Accordingly, the abbreviated version of the YSP’s new name will likely be close to HDP and HADEP. 

At the public meetings, the parties asked for name suggestions for new co-chairs as well. The party executives said that two separate co-chair profiles emerged at the public meetings, one is a young, promising politician who will open a blank page, write a new story; the other one is an experienced politician who knows the party's traditions.

The executives also said that the candidates will be determined by primary elections in all elections to be held from now on within the party.

The executives also started to clarify their strategy regarding the upcoming 2024 local elections. The party is determined to nominate their own candidates in the provinces where they are strong, and transparency will be essential in possible alliances for metropolitan cities. 

Accordingly, the party will clearly state its own stance in a possible alliance which “should be” transparent, in front of the public and within the framework of written rules.

(English version by Alperen Şen)