Rahşan Ecevit sets out to-do list for united left

The eight-point to-do list, read out to the press by Mrs. Ecevit at a packed press conference, includes demands to stop the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-backed economic stability program and pursue a stronger policy to resist wishes of the European Union and the US.

The CHP and the DSP finally responded to voters' wishes to unite forces and unveiled on Thursday a decision to form an election pact in hope that this will help unseat the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Rahşan Ecevit, an influential figure within the DSP, has weighed in to call for a unity among the tiny DSP and the leftist but nationalist-minded CHP.

Yesterday she said she was confident that unity would clear the path to power for the left. "The two parties will speak louder after unity," she said.

The AK Party is accused of trying to divert Turkey from its secular path, but its leadership insists the party has no Islamic agenda, devoting itself to reforms demanded by the EU for eventual membership. Over the four-and-a-half years it has been in power, the AK Party has pursued reforms in a number of areas ranging from women's rights to education. In an open letter, more than 30 European politicians and intellectuals played down concerns over secularism and said Turkish laws have never been closer to European standards than they are now.Observers say AK Party’s losing its grip over the government could damage Turkey’s dedication to the EU membership by weakening its commitment to reform. A number of steps it has taken over the past years have been subject to criticism from the nationalist-minded opposition, which said the reforms undermined Turkish national unity and damaged Turkey’s national interests in foreign policy.

Adding her voice to the nationalist concerns, Mrs. Ecevit said Turkey’s IMF-backed economic program was not producing results and that the new DSP-CHP coalition should instead pursue a national economic program. Other demands on her eight-point list are as follows:

“Debates over national identity that the AK Party pursued with a separatist and ethnic approach should be stemmed. Actions guided by the principle of ‘How happy is he who says I am a Turk’ must be taken;

“Turkey should stand firm in the face of impositions from the US and the EU and resist their wishes that are against our national interests;

“Efforts should be undertaken to win international recognition for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC);

“Our country must stop being an open market for the US and EU and our agriculture that they ruined must be revitalized;

“Sale of lands to foreigners must be stopped and property sales on our borders and strategic areas must be prevented;

“A new policy for Iraq must be created, particularly to block efforts to suppress the Turkmens there;

“A policy must be introduced to oppose a state of Kurdistan from the perspective of Turkey’s national interests.”

The CHP has 151 seats in the outgoing Parliament, second only to the ruling AK Party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The DSP currently has no deputies in Parliament. Under the deal the DSP will preserve its separate identity, but its candidates will be put on the CHP party list to improve their chances of winning seats.

Concerned that the union could lead to the destruction of the DSP, the party’s leader Zeki Sezer said he would not run for Parliament in the CHP list and would instead remain DSP leader, in hope of preserving its distinct identity.

In a surprise call, Mrs. Ecevit said Sezer should run for Parliament. “I will tell him I would not be happy with him if he does not,” she said.

Youth Party finds no partner 

The current of cooperation and merger among political parties has failed to electrify the Youth Party (GP). Political parties remain cool toward GP leader Cem Uzan, due to his image as the head of a bankrupt bank. Receiving no reply to his proposals for unconditional cooperation with parties that can serve as a government alternative to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Uzan decided to run for Parliament without cooperating with any other party.

GP Deputy Chairman Emin Şirin said: “For months we have been proposing to unite forces against this government. We have made our proposals even though no party started to seek alliances. However they have not paid heed to our proposals. From this point and on we will not spoil the game.  Those who will see votes cast for the GP will have a hard time explaining why they have excluded us from these alliances.”

The GP was an early riser in the cooperation and merger talks with political parties. The party first proposed to cooperate with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli neither made an appointment with Uzan nor took his proposal seriously. Then Şirin paid a visit to CHP leader Deniz Baykal and proposed to unconditionally support the CHP. At that time Baykal was holding cooperation talks with the DSP and told Şirin: “Our priority is to cooperate or merge with the DSP. If we reach an agreement with the DSP, we may think of cooperating with you.” Şirin then visited Rahşan Ecevit and told her that they were waiting for a quick conclusion of the talks between the CHP and the DSP.

After the CHP and DSP on Thursday announced that they had decided to cooperate, the GP inquired whether the CHP will include them in this cooperation. However, they did not receive a warm welcome from the CHP and the DSP alike. The GP had proposed to cooperate unconditionally with the True Path Party (DYP), but announced that it would not cooperate with the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN). With the merger of the DYP and ANAVATAN, the GP lost its chance of establishing an alliance with the Democratic Party (DP), the resultant party from the merger. Surprisingly the GP received unexpected levels of popular support in the 2002 elections. The failure of the MHP and the DYP to pass the election threshold in the 2002 elections was attributed to the rise of the GP.