YENİ Party sends 'red line' message regarding framework law! Those who said 'yes' explain their reasons

YENİ Party officials evaluated the criticisms directed at the party leadership's "yes" vote in the framework law ballot, which was prepared as part of the second peace process dubbed "Terror-Free Turkey."

While the party leadership acknowledged that negative reactions were received, particularly from Atatürkist and nationalist voters, they also noted that messages of support from the same segments reached the deputies who voted "no" in the ballot.

According to the officials, the answer to the debate was contained in Chairman Özgür Özel's speech at the General Assembly. Stating that a closed meeting was held with the parliamentary group before the vote, party sources indicated that the chairman did not force the deputies into a specific choice and gave the message, "Trust me, listen to my speech."

Reminding that 54 deputies voted "no" in the ballot, the officials stated that the dominant tendency in the party group was in the direction of "no." The party leadership, on the other hand, argued that it cast a "yes" vote with an emphasis on social democratic tradition, democratization, and equal citizenship.

According to the report by Cumhuriyet, officials stated that this picture reflects both the principled stance of the leadership and the responsibility of the deputies to carry the reactions from the field to the Parliament. It was emphasized that the "yes" and "no" votes had different justifications and that no group decision was taken.

Responding to the question of how the decision would affect the view of Atatürkist and nationalist voters toward the party, the officials said that the vote alone would not be decisive and that the voters would evaluate the process as a whole.

Party sources stated that the "yes" vote cannot be explained by a calculation to "win the Kurdish vote," expressing that the decision was taken with the approach of "let the weapons be laid down, let no new news of martyrs arrive, let no one's mother cry."

Referring to the red lines expressed in YENİ Party leader Özgür Özel's speech, the officials emphasized that "Atatürk, the Treaty of Lausanne, the unity of the state and the indivisible integrity of the country, and the fundamental characteristics of the republic guaranteed by the constitution" cannot be made a subject of debate or bargaining.