Republican People's Party (Turkey)
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| Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi | |
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| Leader | Mustafa Kemal Atatürk founder (1919–1938) Ismet Inönü (1938–1972) Bülent Ecevit (1972–1980) 1980 military coup Deniz Baykal (1992–1995) Hikmet Çetin (Feb–Sept 1995) Deniz Baykal (1995–1999) Altan Öymen (1999–2000) Deniz Baykal (2000– ) |
| Founded | 9 September 1923 |
| Headquarters | Anadolu Bulvarı 12 Söğütözü, Ankara |
| Political Ideology | Democratic socialism, Social democracy, Kemalism |
| European Affiliation | Party of European Socialists (associate member) |
| International Affiliation | Socialist International |
| Colours | Red and White |
| Website | www.chp.org.tr |
See also: |
Constitution of Turkey Politics |
The Republican People's Party (Turkish: Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi or CHP) is the oldest political party in the Republic of Turkey. The party was established during the Congress of Sivas as a union of resistance groups against the invasion of Anatolia. The union represented the Turkish people as a unified front during the Turkish War of Independence. On September 9, 1923 People's Party officially declared itself as a political organization and on October 29, 1923 announced the Republican regime by this distancing itself, also Turkey, from non-partisan democracy. On 10 November 1924 the People's Party renamed itself to "Republican People's Party" (CHP) as the Turkey was moving into Single-Party period.
During the Single-Party period CHP become the major political organization of Single-party state. However, CHP faced two opposition parties during this period. The first one was the Liberal Republican Party by Ali Fethi Okyar in 1930, which, however, was soon closed. This was followed by the National Development Party founded by Nuri Demirağ, in 1945.
The current (or modern) structure of the party was established with the transition to Multi-party period of the Republic of Turkey. During the Multi-Party Period, CHP generally regarded as being social-democratic (member of the Socialist International[1]), state nationalistic and secular/laicist. The party's logo consists of the Six Arrows, which represent the foundational principles of Kemalist Ideology: republicanism, nationalism, statism, populism, laicité, and revolutionism.
Like all political parties, the party was shut down by the military coup of 1980. It was reestablished September 9, 1992, with a different cadre than the old cadre of the pre-1980 period.
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[edit] Current Position
Republican People's Party is currently a center-leftist political party with traditional ties to middle and upper-middle classes such as white-collar workers, retired state officials, academicians, bureaucrats, college students, social democratic intellectuals and well-to-do entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, the loose relationship between CHP and labor unions, business chambers and most non-governmental organizations alienated significant support from CHP. The distance between party administration and leftist grassroots, especially Kurdish ethnic and Alevi ethnoreligious groups, contributes the shift of CHP from left to center.
On June 28, 2007, the Ethics Committee of the Socialist International decided to call for a report on "how the CHP acted when it comes to support for democracy," starting a process that might result in eventual expulsion of the CHP. CHP has received much criticism from Socialist International members, who say its "nationalist rhetoric" is in violation of universal democratic standards. [1] "The CHP overstepped the tolerance limits of the Socialist International long ago; for this reason it should be expelled from the family of social democrat parties." told Morgan Johansson, a prominent Swedish social democrat. [2] On July 19, 2007, a group of Turkish left-wing intellectuals and human rights activists issued a petition urging the Socialist International in favour of CHP's expulsion, asserting that "CHP had lost its social-democratic identity and turned into a right-wing nationalist party defending the status quo".[3]
Despite heavy criticism from liberal and libertarian socialist interest groups, CHP still holds a significant position in the Socialist International as well as being an associate member of the Party of European Socialists. CHP urged the Socialist International to accept Republican Turkish Party of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an observer member.
At the 2007 general election CHP ran in alliance with Democratic Left Party. CHP suffered a heavy defeat, getting 7,300,234 votes (20.85% of the total). CHP, YTP, and DSP combined got 21.77% of the votes back in 2002. The party could become first only in three provinces in Thrace (Edirne, Tekirdağ, Kırklareli) and two provinces on the Aegean coast (İzmir, Muğla). With these results, 112 candidates (13 of these MPs are DSP affiliates) were elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from the CHP electoral sheet compared to 178 in 2002.
[edit] History
[edit] Single-Party period
During the War of Independence, 1919-1922, the parliament in Ankara was composed by different types of deputies. To have a harmony among his followers, Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his colleagues formed Müdafaa-ı Hukuk grubu (the group of Defence of the Law). The opposition to Mustafa Kemal or to the commissars elected by the parliament has united under the name of second group of Defence of the Law, simply second group (so the Mustafa Kemal followers were later called as first group). Although second group has always been minority, it could create active opposition within the parliament. In January 1923, Mustafa Kemal Pasha announced that first group would be transformed to a Party named Halk Fırkası (People's Party). In May 1923, the parliament called a bill for new elections, most probably, because Mustafa Kemal and his colleagues wanted to guarantee the peace treaty's, held in Lausanne, approval by more unanimous parliament. The People's Party was officially founded only after the 1923 elections. The 1923 elections were definitely the victory of forthcoming Party, because of the its leaders reputation after the military victory of the War of Independence and it was the liquidation of second group. Thanks to this unanimity of this second parliament, the republic was proclaimed, the Lausanne treaty was accepted and Caliphate was abolished.
However, in 1924, after the short-period of a single-party rule, many of Mustafa Kemal's ex-colleagues, for many reasons (many of them was offended because they were losing power, or their opposition to the the short-period of a single-party rule's revolutionary activities, etc...) Rauf Orbay, Kâzım Karabekir, Ali Fuat Cebesoy and many others founded an opposition party called Terakkiperver Cumhuriyet Fırkası (Progressive Republicans Party). After the foundation of an opposition party, People's Party changed his name to "Republican People's Party". The life of Progressive Republicans Party was short. In 1925 Şeyh Sait rebellion was sparked in the east of Turkey. The party was closing down because of the martial law, Takrir-i Sukun and all the prominent members were sent before the Independence Courts, but none of them was found guilty and all of them was release. Even this event was enough to dismiss the prominent members of opposition party. From that period 1925 till 1946 was the a single-party rule, with a short break of Serbest Fırka (Liberal Party) which was actually found by Atatürk, himself and its leader was one of his closest friends Ali Fethi (Okyar) Bey. Unfortunately, this party was closed down by its founders, shortly after the Izmir meeting which was a huge demonstration against Republican People's Party. In the period of 1925-1930, Republican People's Party introduced the reforms transforming Turkey to a modern State. In the period of 1930-1939, the Party was transformed itself and tried to widespread his ideology (fro instance 6 arrows were accepted after 1930) after the liberal Party experience which showed its leaders how fragile was their rule over the people.
The day after Atatürk's death, Ismet Inönü was elected the second president and assumed the leadership of CHP. On the general nationwide congress of CHP on 26 December 1938, Ismet Inönü was elected as the "everlasting CHP leader". The delegates donated Atatürk the title "eternal chief", and to Inönü the title "national chief".
During 1940s, CHP established Village Institutes, which were an enlightenment project developed in order to lift the huge gap between the urban and rural areas[citation needed]. Various scientists, writers, teachers, and doctors graduated from Village Institutes; and supported Turkey's modernization efforts.
[edit] İnönü Period
At the elections of 1946, CHP gained 396 seats and ranked as the first party. However, to protect their seats before the 1946 elections, CHP had introduced and passed the antidemocratic electoral legislation bringing the winner-take-all system. In this system, if a party got the most votes in a province, it would have captured all seats of that province. However at the elections of 1950, Republican People's Party was hit by its own electoral system, DP gained 408 with 53.3% vote. This was followed by the defeat on 3 September 1950 municipal elections, in which Democratic Party (DP) gained 560 municipalities, and CHP only 40 municipalities.
Real multiparty democracy, parlement, started with CHP transferring power to DP in a peaceful manner, without a revolution or a coup. From that time on, Republican People's Party formed the official opposition.
On 26 November 1951, in the ninth Congress of CHP, youth branch and women branch of CHP were formed. On 22 June 1953 establishment of labor unions and vocational chambers was proposed, and the right to strike for workers was introduced in the party program.
On 2 May 1954, CHP again lost the elections to DP, gaining only 31 seats with 35.4% of the total vote. DP captured 505 seats with 57.6% vote, due to the winner-take-all system. However, from that time on, CHP started increasing its votes, CHP intensified its opposition tactics, increasing its vote share to 41%, gaining 178 seats, in the 27 October 1957 elections. DP gained 424 seats with 47.9% vote.
Since Democratic Party could not stand the opposition of CHP; DP threatened to close CHP, and confiscated all belongings of CHP, including the heritage of Atatürk. In addition, Democratic Party also oppressed other opposition parties; suppressing the media, and violating democracy.
In addition to the authoritarian government, Democratic Party also suffered from corruption and increasing inflation, caused by the devaluation and external debt. In the single-party CHP government, CHP developed the railway system; but DP insisted on the highways and motorways, which increased the petroleum demand of the young Turkish Republic, creating great economic crises.
Eventually on 27 May 1960; the Turkish army, supported by the media, university professors and the opposition, seized the power and overthrew the Democratic Party government.
In the military coup of 1960, National Unity Committee was formed by the upper-class soldiers. National Unity Committee closed Democratic Party and started trials to punish Democratic Party leaders for their dictator regime. As a result, on 16/17 September 1961, Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, Foreign Minister Fatin Rüstü Zorlu, and Finance Minister Hasan Polatkan were hanged in Imrali island prison. President Celal Bayar was forgiven due to his old age, but sentenced to life imprisonment.
In 1961, Justice Party (AP) was established, claiming to be the successor to the Democratic Party. In the meantime, National Unity Committee established an interim House of Representatives instead of the TBMM, in order to prepare a new constitution for Turkey. In the new constitution, Constitutional Court was to be established, to prevent the government from violating the constitution (just as in the example of DP). 1961 constitution is accepted to be the most liberal and democratic constitution of Turkey. Also, the winner-take-all electoral system was immediately abolished, and proportional representation system was introduced. New constitution brought Turkey a bicameral parliament, composed of the Senate of the Republic as the upper chamber, and National Assembly as the lower chamber. National Unity Committee chairman General Cemal Gürsel was elected as the fourth president of Turkey.
On 15 October 1961, CHP won the elections, gaining 173 seats with the 36.7% of the vote. AP gained 158 seats, with 34.8% of the vote, below the last vote of DP. CHP leader Ismet Inönü formed the coalition with Justice Party (AP) as the prime minister. This was the first coalition government in Turkey's history. Inönü established two coalition governments until the 1965 elections.
Süleyman Demirel became prime minister in the late 1960's, and because he was the leader of the AP (Justice Party), he continued in the tradition of Adnan Menderes gaining a large amount of support from both the religious and democrats.
[edit] Ecevit Period, 1972 - 1980
In 1971, the army brought down the AP government of Süleyman Demirel, and, in 1973, following some interim governments, the CHP was restored to power under Bülent Ecevit. Bülent Ecevit the CHP began to take on a distinct left wing role in politics and although remaining staunchly nationalist tried to implement socialism into the ideology of CHP.
In 1975, the CHP was again defeated by the Justice Party, where Demirel became prime minister again. From 1977 to 1979, the CHP was back in power with Ecevit (mostly in coalition with smaller parties including oddly enough the Islamist MSP party of Necmettin Erbakan later to be leader of the Refah Party), but in 1980, the AP returned with Demirel. The political switching between the CHP and the AP came to an end when the military performed a coup and banned all political parties.
[edit] Recovery Period, 1980 - 1992
After the 1980 military coup, the name of "Republican People's Party" and the abbreviation CHP was banned from use by the military regime. Until 1998, Turkey was ruled by the center right Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP), unofficial successors of the Democrat Party.
[edit] Baykal Period, (1992-)
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CHP was reestablished after the 1987 referendum and a legislation in 1993 which allowed the reestablishment of older parties.
In 1991, since Turkey's election system had two large election thresholds (10 % nationwide and 15 % local thresholds) and since center-left is divided into two parties (SHP and DSP), social democrats and democratic left groups had little power in the parliament. Between 1991 and 1995, Turkey was ruled by the coalition of center-right DYP and center-left SHP (= Social Democratic Populist Party)(later SHP joined CHP).
In 1995, the Islamic Welfare Party (Refah Party) step into Parliament, and the CHP seemed to have been deserted by the Turkish people, having only 10 % nationwide support and only 49 deputies of 550. It now seemed as if the CHP had been replaced as the main left-wing party.
But the Welfare Party was banned in 1998, and during the 1990s the Democratic Left Party (DSP), led by former CHP leader Bülent Ecevit, gained popular support. (Democratic Left Party is established by Ecevit family in 1985.) In 1998, after the resignation of RP-DYP coalition following the "February 28" post-modern and soft military coup, center-right ANAP formed a coalition government with center-left DSP and the small center-right party DTP (Democratic Turkey Party), along with the support of CHP.
However, due to big scandals, corruption and some illegal actions of this coalition, CHP withdrew its support from the coalition and helped overthrow the government with the vote of "no confidence". Just before the elections of 1999, DSP formed an interim minority government with the support of DYP and ANAP; and the terrorist PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is captured in Kenya under the Ecevit rule.
Therefore in the elections of 1999, all nationalist and left votes have switched to DSP and CHP failed to pass the 10 % threshold (8.7 % vote), winning no seats in Parliament - and things didn't look good for it after the creation of the moderate Islamic conservative Justice and Development Party in 2001.
The political coalitions which ruled Turkey from the center right ANAP and DYP to the center left DSP were increasingly making the country unstable. The Islamists returned with a new party the Fazilet (which was also later banned) while MHP the far right nationalist party had began to take advantage of the disillusionment felt by former supporters of the Refah Party and the ever bickering ANAP and DYP.
Finally a coalition was formed (generally assumed under the force of hand of the army) between DSP-ANAP-MHP it was doomed to fail and a seemingly unimportant argument between Bülent Ecevit and Ahmet Necdet Sezer the president sent the Turkish stock markets into freefall, a political crisis followed causing the collapse of the coalition and elections to be held. (Actually the economic crisis was a result of the endless corruptions for which ANAP, DYP, DSP, RP, and MHP are responsible, therefore the Sezer-Ecevit argument only lighted the fire.)
After Baykal resigned in 1999, Altan Öymen became the leader. But 2 years later, Baykal became the leader of the party again.
In the 2002 Parliamentary elections, the CHP won 178 seats in Parliament, and only it and the AKP (Justice and Development Party) went to Parliament. The CHP became the main opposition party again and Turkey's second largest party. It had begun the long road to recovery.
It must be understood however, that this had very little to do with voters supporting CHP. Many were former DSP supporters who were angry at the economic crisis that many blamed on the Ecevit government. Also many DSP and ANAP supporters left these parties for AK party as did many MHP and Fazilet (now Saadet party) members.
Many on the left are still very critical of the leadership of CHP especially Deniz Baykal, who they complain is stifling the party of young blood thus turning away the young who turn either to apathy or even to vote for AKP. While AKP boast of a young leadership who have lived through many of the difficulties of many in Turkey CHP are seen as an 'old guard' that do not represent modern Turkey. The leftists also are very critical of the party's continuous opposition to the removal of Article 301 of Turkish penal code; which caused people to be prosecuted for "insulting Turkishness" including Nobel Winner author Orhan Pamuk, Elif Şafak, and the conviction of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, its attitude towards the minorities in Turkey, as well as its Cyprus policy.
Despite this recovery, since the dramatic General Election of 2002, the CHP has been racked by internal power struggles, and has been outclassed by the AKP government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In the local elections of 2004, its overall share of the vote held, largely through mopping up anti-Erdoğan votes among former supporters of smaller left-wing and secular right-wing parties, but was badly beaten by the AKP across the country, losing former strongholds such as Antalya.
Much of the blame was put on the leader of CHP Deniz Baykal. After the local elections CHP was racked by defections of several key members of the party all claiming a lack of democratic structure within the party and the increasingly-authoritarian way in which Deniz Baykal runs the party. Even those who support Deniz Baykal would admit that the party would be much more successful with a different leader.
In October 2004, New Turkey Party (Yeni Türkiye Partisi, YTP) merged into the CHP. Lately Baykal is bidding for fusing the DSP and CHP together under one roof, namely CHP, under his leadership.
[edit] Historical leaders
- Mustafa Kemal Atatürk founder (1919-1938)
- Ismet Inönü (1938-1972)
- Bülent Ecevit (1972-1980)
- 1980 military coup
- Deniz Baykal (1992-1995)
- Hikmet Çetin (Feb-Sept 1995)
- Deniz Baykal (1995-1999)
- Altan Öymen (1999-2000)
- Deniz Baykal (2000-)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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