Turkish Government usurps democratically-elected municipalities

This morning, following appointment of trustees to Hakkari and Esenyurt, the AKP-MHP government usurped Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, Batman Municipality, and Urfa Halfeti Municipality. The significance of this coup taking place on the anniversary of the November 4, 2016 parliamentary coup, aimed at undermining the will of the Kurdish people, cannot be overlooked. This is a continuation of the same failed attempts at dismantling Kurdish in democratic politics that have persisted since 1994 - a repetitive and bankrupt strategy spanning 30 years. We must reiterate that this is an outright attack against the will of the people. Previous interventions of imposed trustee administrations were firmly rejected by the people, leading to their resounding defeated in subsequent elections, where voters decisively demonstrated their support for our party. The insistence on using the imposed trustee administrations, which consistently fail at the ballot box, underscores the political exhaustion and desperation of the AKP-MHP regime. The regime has turned usurpation through judiciary and law enforcement what it could not win through elections into a de facto regime. This latest assault also constitutes a serious violation of the Kurdish people's right to vote and be elected. By besieging municipalities and undermining local governments, turning them into virtual police outposts, is a stark declaration that the democratic legitimacy of the current political regime has come to an end.

It is deeply ironic that those who claim to oppose authoritarianism and coups have themselves become agents of pure and unchecked authoritarianism. History shows that no power has ever thrived on oppression and tyranny in this land, and this one will be no different. The people of Turkey will never submit to such despotism. In the last local elections, the government faced significant losses due to these tactics, and the longer it insists on this path, the greater its losses will be.

The trustee coup is a crisis of democracy and freedom for all 85 million citizens, and if left unchecked, it will go beyond Kurdish regions and affect municipalities across Turkey. Regardless of party or ideology, this attack now poses a direct threat to the right of all Turkish citizens to vote, be elected, and exercise their political will. We therefore call upon all democratic segments of society to raise their voices and stand against this illegitimate coup mentality with the utmost urgency.

Defending the people’s will and safeguarding local administrations are fundamental to our party's mission. These methods and attacks not only undermine any pursuit of dialogue and reconciliation but also raise serious doubts about the sincerity of those in power. While we were hoping for a hand extended for peace and resolution, a hand was instead extended to seize the people’s will. While we sought dialogue and negotiation, we see traps being set up to undermine the people’s hopes for resolution. We will not surrender; nor will we step back from our struggle. If the government believes it will succeed with these bankrupt tactics, it is gravely mistaken. Our people will continue to defend their will under all circumstances.

Central Executive Committee of DEM Party