Social democratic and left-wing political parties have begun seeking joint candidates to unite against the Justice and Development Party (AKP), in local elections in March.

CHP agrees joint candidacy - 11 / 10 / 2008 13:03

Social democratic and left-wing political parties have begun seeking joint candidates to unite against the Justice and Development Party (AKP), in local elections in March.

The Republican People's Party (CHP), and Democratic Left Party (DSP), are planning to nominate a former Ankara mayor and the Social Democrat People's Party (SHP), chairman, Murat Karayalcin, as their joint candidate for Ankara mayor.

The lack of joint candidates by leftist parties in the last local elections strengthened the AKP hand.

The CHP nominated Karayalcin in the 1999 elections, while former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit nominated Dogan Tasdelen from the DSP. Thus, Virtue Party candidate Melih Gokcek won the seat.

AKP candidates grabbed 57 municipalities throughout Turkey in the 2004 elections.

The CHP won nine, the SHP won five, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), won four, the DSP won three, and the Happiness Party (SP), and True Path Party (DYP), each won only one.

The number of seats won by the CHP, the SHP and the DSP combined was only 17.

The Turkish Daily News has reported that CHP leader Deniz Baykal told his lawmakers, “Through Karayalcin we can make an alliance against Melih Gokcek in Ankara and win the election. Thus, we should contact him.”

Baykal's positive stance toward Karayalcin's candidacy has accelerated alliance-seeking on the left.

Although Karayalcin said he had not yet been contacted, CHP members predict that Baykal's initiative is in the works.

Sources say Karayalcin is also willing to stand for election as a “joint candidate of the left.”

DSP leader Zeki Sezer also supports Karayalcin's candidacy.

Rising star Kilicdaroglu

The candidacy of the CHP's parliamentary group deputy leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is also on the agenda.

Kilicdaroglu has lately attracted attention by bringing forward claims of AKP corruption.

According to rumors, other cities, including Antalya and Adana, which were grabbed by the AKP in the past elections, may also run a “single candidate from the left.”

While efforts to find a joint candidate for Izmir continue, Kocaoglu's candidacy, which is also supported by the DSP and SHP, is being discussed by the CHP.

The current Eskisehir mayor, Yilmaz Buyukersen, stands as the only candidate for the city since he is the joint candidate of the left.

Buyukersen is popular in Eskisehir. He ran as a candidate from the DSP in 2004 elections, when the CHP and the SHP did not nominate a candidate to help him get elected.

DSP Eskisehir deputy Tayfun Icli has drawn attention to the importance of running a joint candidate.

“Ethical, experienced and clean people should be supported at any rate, and alliances should be created. That is what we made in Eskisehir during the 2004 elections. We should run mutual candidates throughout Turkey in this election, as well.”

Meanwhile, Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek said, “Except Karayalcin, there is not anybody in the CHP whom they can nominate against me. I said this for the past few months and it turned out to be right. Baykal has no other way, whether he wants it or not … I will be pleased with Karayalcin's candidacy.”