Peoples' Democratic Congress

The Peoples' Democratic Congress (Turkish: Halkların Demokratik Kongresi, HDK) is a union of numerous left-wing political movements, organisations and parties in Turkey that aims to fundamentally recreate Turkish politics and represent oppressed, exploited individuals who face ethnic, religious or gender discrimination. The Congress is anti-capitalist and was formed on 15 October 2011. It organises numerous conferences and holds official congresses. In 2012, the Congress established a new party that would act as its political wing, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). A similar union of left-wing groups, the United June Movement, was formed in 2014.

Peoples' Democratic Congress

Turkish: Halkların Demokratik Kongesi
SpokesmanErtuğrul Kürkçü
SpokeswomanSebahat Tuncel
Founded15 October 2011 (2011-10-15)
Preceded byLabour, Democracy and Freedom Bloc
Political wingPeoples' Democratic Party (HDP)
IdeologyDemocratic socialism
Anti-capitalism
Minority rights
Kurdish nationalism
Political positionLeft-wing[1]
Colours     Purple
Website
www.halklarindemokratikkongresi.net
Turkey
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Formation

In preparation for the 2011 general election, the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and several smaller parties fielded joint candidates as independents, under the 'Labour, Democracy and Freedom Bloc' banner. The purpose was to by-pass the 10% election threshold needed by parties to gain representation in the Grand National Assembly. 35 of the 61 candidates that ran under the Bloc were elected. After the election, these parties came together with smaller LGBT rights movements and others to form the Peoples' Democratic Congress in October 2011, with Ertuğrul Kürkçü and Sebahat Tuncel as the spokesman and spokeswoman respectively.

Aims

The Congress aims to provide a platform for oppressed and exploited individual as well as minorities facing religious or ethnic discrimination. The Congress also is strongly in favour of women's rights and thus operates a co-leader system with one male and one female spokesperson. The Congress aims to represent Kurdish minority in particular and is critical of the lack of constitutional enshrinement of minority rights. Other minorities that the Congress aims to represent are Alevis, Armenians, Assyrians, Azerbaijanis, Circassians, Laz, the LGBT community and Romani. The Congress is heavily critical of capitalism and what they see as the exploitation of workers.[2]

Politically, the Congress is democratic socialist and has its political interests represented by the Peoples' Democratic Party. The Democratic Regions Party is also affiliated with the Congress but runs for local government positions in the Kurdish majority south-east only.

Participants

In addition, Socialist Alternative is not a participant in the HDK but is broadly supportive of it.

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See also

References
  1. Tattersall, Nick; Coskun, Orhan (8 August 2014). "Erdogan poised to win Turkey's first popular presidential vote". Reuters. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  2. http://www.halklarindemokratikkongresi.net/hdk/hdk-diyor-ki/52
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