The 3As the CHP must avoid

It is a saying we have heard from doctors for years: “For the sake of your health, stay away from these three whites: flour, sugar, and salt.” Just as the human body needs to avoid certain dangerous foods, an unhealthy lifestyle, stress, and polluted air to stay healthy, in some cases, political parties must also stay away from certain debates to be successful. In this context, we can list the 3As that the Republican People's Party (CHP) must avoid for its political health as follows: divisive debates, candidacy debates, and constitutional debates.

Let us start with divisive debates. When we look at the Law on Political Parties in Turkey, changing a party leader through a party congress is not a very common situation. We can say that the weight, influence, and determining power of party leaders within political parties are at a near-divine level. Imagine being able to take a pen in your hand and determine who will be a member of parliament or who will be a mayoral candidate in 81 provinces. The Turkish public should debate the law on political parties as much as they debate the powers attributed to the “single man” created by the presidential system. In this context, determining members of parliament and mayors through primary elections held with party members or with a preferential ballot placed before the public seems to be the most democratic way. However, intra-party democratization is not preferred because it would reduce the hegemony of the party leader within political parties.

Despite this oligarchic structure of the law, the Republican People's Party is one of the parties within the Turkish political system where intra-party democracy functions relatively well. Perhaps due to a difference arising from changing the party leader through a congress, it has transformed into a party with multiple power centers, with a new party leader who emerged victorious from the local elections following the 2023 election defeat, and mayors who have become strong political leaders in their own right. While this situation shows that hope for Turkey's future, human resources, and strong cadres exist within the Republican People's Party, it also points to a general election process that will be difficult to manage.

In this context, it would be correct to remember the difference between local elections and general elections. In local elections, a selection process takes place where service is the focus and authority is concentrated more in a single person, without considering important parameters that need to be managed such as the economy, foreign policy, and security. In other words, it is an election where all eyes are focused on the mayoral candidate. In a general election, a different climate emerges where the economy, security, and foreign policy are taken into account, and not only the presidential candidate but also the general structure of the party, the trust it offers to the public, and the relationships of its cadres with each other are important. In this context, it would be very beneficial for the Republican People's Party, which is clearly marching toward power, to stay away from intra-party divisive debates, an atmosphere of political gossip, and debates that would create a perception of a structure that is incompatible or capable of producing internal competition.

The second “A” to avoid is candidacy debates. The CHP must not forget that it is conducting politics against a perfectly ossified, authoritarian structure, together with the ruling party shaped around a single leader and even an alliance partner that has unconditionally accepted the existence of that single leader. Although this perfect, indisputable, unquestionable “single leader” situation turns into a handicap in local elections—because he cannot clone himself into 81 provinces—it can turn into an advantage in general elections. Of course, when we think of the opposite, the existence of many candidate alternatives can be a negative factor for the opposition. Specifically, as the 2023 election process approached, debates were held for a very long time about who the opposition's candidate would be. Ultimately, the opposition itself suffered the most from these debates. In short, it would be best not to enter into these debates as much as possible. Still, as an advantage for the upcoming general elections, we can say this: while there were multiple parties that had a say in the presidential candidacy in 2023, it appears from today that the Republican People's Party will make the candidacy decision alone this time. This is an important advantage.

Now let us come to the third “A” that must be avoided: constitutional debates. In the aftermath of a local election where an economic crisis is being experienced, austerity policies are being announced one after another and it is likely that other packages will be announced, pressures and threats on the press are increasing, the curriculum is being bent and twisted, Gezi prisoners are in jail, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is being tried, and the AK Party has suffered a historic defeat, going into a general election amidst constitutional debates will greatly relieve the AK Party in the impasse it is in, and will make real problems and the real troubles of the citizens invisible. Of course, the Republican People's Party should continue its meetings with the AK Party at the leadership level. Many positive results can be obtained from this. However, when it comes to the constitution, it is possible to present the AK Party with an undeserved success on a silver platter through a possible referendum and referendum debates. It would be good for the CHP to pay attention to this issue as well.

As a result, we are living through the final period of an exhausted government. In this context, it is very important to treat the days until the election as a preparation period for power, and to be ready for power with technical infrastructure, cadres, human resources, policies, and a program. Just as a person knows the three whites they should stay away from but gives in to their taste, the pleasure they provide, and their desires, these 3As can also deceive the CHP, draw it in, and tempt it. I say, beware.