“May 27 was also a reactionist political move. None of the military coups were progressive. If democracy had not been interrupted by the military intervention on May 27, 1960, Turkey would have been in a very good position,” said the party leader, adding that the Democrat Party (DP), which ruled the country between 1950 and 1960 and had been overthrown by the military coup in 1960, had made several mistakes, but this does not legitimize the military coup.
Touching upon the general attitudes of leftist parties in Turkey, Ergün opposed their stances and suggested that they should pursue policies in favor of democracy and freedom, saying: “The Republican People's Party (CHP) is not a leftist party; it is statist. The left in Turkey should accept the government that comes to power with the vote of people. Those who win by popular vote can only be removed by the vote again. Leftist parties should not form their policies while depending on the military.”
Ergün urged all democrats in Turkey to lend support to the Ergenekon investigation, noting: “We know that Ergenekon is behind the unidentified murders. They prepared the political and social conditions necessary for a military intervention. All democrats should question this. The gangs attached to the state must be cleaned up, and people should live without fear.” Those who are responsible for plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government should be penalized due to their action, he said, hinting that coup perpetrators must be tried and punished.
Regarding Turkey's headscarf ban, Ergün stated that the ban was absurd, in contrast with parties who regard themselves as leftist. “Even in state offices veiled women can work as their unveiled counterparts do. I do not see any threat in this. That issue should be seen from the perspective of freedom." The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) advocates removing the headscarf ban only in universities.
The SHP leader stated that the Feb. 28, 1997 process, which forced the Welfare Party (RP) to step down from power and is considered by many to have been an undemocratic move, was a scenario that changed the balance of power.
Ergün has been involved in politics since 1965 when he became a member of the Worker's Party of Turkey (TİP), and he worked for the İstanbul Municipal Assembly as a member of the CHP. The experienced politician voiced his support for the government's attempt to resolve the decades-old Kurdish question with a democratic initiative. “In the democratic initiative, there should certainly be constitutional change,” he noted, adding that people should be given the right to education in their native language.
