site.btaSix Opposition Party Leaders Meet: A Turning Point before Turkey's 2023 Elections

Last Saturday's meeting of six opposition party leaders in Turkey is a turning point in the country's political scene before the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2023. The leaders, who agreed on joint action to return the parliamentary system of governance, gathered for a round table at the invitation of the head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Good Party leader Meral Askener, Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoglu, Democrat Party (DP) leader Gultekin Uysal, Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) leader Ali Babacan, and Future Part (GP) leader Ahmet Davutoglu made up the rest.
        
After the meeting, the six leaders issued a written statement that on February 28 they would release the text of a roadmap for transition to an enhanced parliamentary system they had agreed on. They worked on the roadmap over the past three months and approved the final variant at the meeting. 

Turkey reverted to a presidential system of governance after constitutional revisions were approved at a referendum in 2017. 
        
Regardless of the differences between them, the six agreed that the meeting was held on a "historical day for Turkey" and they were united by the priority of transition to a strong parliamentary system. This calls for a constructive planning of the process to achieve their resolve of developing a "strong, democratic, liberal and just system" with transparent government, unbiased and independent judicial system and division of powers. 

The country is "experiencing one of the deepest political and economic crises in its republican history, and the prime reason for that is doubtless the arbitrary governance disregarding rules and applied in the name of the presidential system," the document states further. 

The parties underscore their resolve to build a "Turkey of tomorrow" for their people and continue their cooperation, expanding its spheres, as well as their commitment to a strong parliamentary system. 

The document also states the leaders had discussed topical economic and social developments in the country, as well as policies applicable after the elections. 
        
The opposition media in Turkey hailed the agreement reached by the six parties as "historical".
        
A key issue that stood before the meeting was whether DEVA, which had split from the ruling Justice and Development Party and is led by former deputy prime minister and economy minister Babacan, and the Future Party of former President Recep Tayyip Erdogan associate and prime minister Ahmet Davuoglu, would officially join the opposition Nation Alliance. The latter, including the remaining four parties, was formed before the 2018 parliamentary elections. After the meeting, the "Cumhurriyet" quoted leading representatives of both parties who said it had achieved an atmosphere of confidence between the participants who would quickly overcome any possible difficulties that could lay ahead.  
       
The subject of a possible joint candidate in the 2023 presidential elections was not discussed at the meeting last Saturday.
       
Although the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was not invited to the meeting, the opportunity for cooperation with it in view of the presidential elections does not seem precluded. HDP has been in talks for a pre-election coalition with several left and socialist oriented parties since January. At the same time, however, the co-chair of the formation, Mithat Sancar, commented that negotiations and an agreement with the HDP is a must on the way to presidential elections. Media quote him as saying that the party is open to ideas for a joint candidate in the presidential elections and wants a dialogue and talks with all opposition parties. On the other hand, responding to criticism by representatives of the pro-Kurdish party that it had not been invited to the meeting on Saturday, CNP leader Kilicdaroglu said they were not ignoring HDP. They communicated with it and when it was necessary, would communicate again. They could come and share their opinions whenever they wanted, the same was valid the other way round. 

Such comments lead to the conclusion that the door to possible cooperation for the presidential elections between the six and HDP is open. 
       
One way or another, the content of the roadmap agreed by the leaders of the six parties will become known on February 28. This also signals a possible pre-election alliance and readiness for joint steps before and after the elections to achieve their common goal. 

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