Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party

Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party
The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (abbreviated as HEDEP), formerly known as Party of the Greens and the Left Future until 15 October 2023 when a party congress decided to change the name, is a green and left-libertarian party in Turkey. It was founded on 25 November 2012 as a merger of the Greens' Party and the Equality and Democracy Party. On September 25, 2023, it was announced that the new name of the Green Left Party was determined as Democratic Peoples Party (DHP) at the central executive board meeting.
Prominent members include Murat Belge, left-wing political author and former columnist for Taraf; Kutluğ Ataman, filmmaker and contemporary artist; and Ufuk Uras, former Istanbul deputy and president of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP).
History
The party is one of the participants in the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK), a political initiative instrumental in founding the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in 2012.
Their chairpersons were temporarily arrested in February 2018 but released with a travel ban for the exterior and under monitoring of the police. They were charged over social media activity and books in their possession.
2023 election
The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has faced a closure case since 2021. Selahattin Demirtaş stated that if the party is closed, HDP parliamentary candidates would enter the Green Left Party (YSP) lists in the 2023 general election. Furthermore, the party leadership of HDP announced that it would hand over active political work to the YSP.
Upon the decision taken on 24 March 2023, Peoples' Democratic Party, Labour Party, Labourist Movement Party and Social Freedom Party decided to enter the 2023 general election from the Green Left Party lists. The party received 8.82% of the votes and currently has 57 MPs in the parliament, while HDP had won 11.7% of the votes in the 2018 elections. The YSP did not nominate any presidential candidate for the 2023 election but instead supported Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was the joint presidential candidate of an opposition bloc named the Nation Alliance and was defeated by the incumbent president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the run-off round.
Political positions
The party supports decentralization and advocates for significantly shifting central powers to local governments.
The party has formally acknowledged the Armenian genocide.
Following the 2023 elections, the party held a two-day conference in Ankara under the slogan "With Change to Freedom". At the conference, Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar, co-spokesperson of the Green Left Party, defined the Kurdish question as the most important problem in Turkey, and a matter of denial and annihilation. Uçar has also stated that Abdullah Öcalan is "the most important actor for Turkey's democratization", claiming his "absolute isolation" in İmralı that has lasted for 24 years to be the biggest obstacle to democratization.
Instead of the French laique model of secularism with the complete exclusion of religion from politics and social life, the party promotes "liberal secularism" through activities such as the "Democratic Islam Desk", which is part of the party's Peoples and Beliefs Commission.
On 26 March 2023, the Party has issued a resolute declaration following its party assembly meeting, emphasized its commitment to challenging the current one-man regime in Turkey and advocating for a democratic republic. The party advoacate for the left revolutionaries, Alevis, Kurds, women, and youth to push for change and express their demands for rights, education and housing.
The party emphasizes the negative consequences of the neoliberal economic policies implemented during Erdoğan's rule. They highlight the emergence of a "green capital class" that has benefitted from the government's economic approach while leaving many others struggling.
Election results
Parliamentary elections
Notes
References
2012 establishments in Turkey
Alter-globalization
Anti-capitalist political parties
Centre-left parties in Asia
Centre-left parties in Europe
Direct democracy parties
Ecosocialist parties
Feminist parties in Turkey
Green parties in Asia
Green parties in Europe
Kurdish political parties in Turkey
Left-wing parties
Left-wing politics in Turkey
Peoples' Democratic Congress
Political parties established in 2012
Political parties in Turkey
Secularism in Turkey
Socialist parties in Turkey