HDP says door open to all talks regarding formation of coalition gov’t

The HDP has so far received no official proposal for an appointment from any political party, HDP’s co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ said in response to questions by reporters on June 16. 

“We have stated that our door is open to all appointment requests that might come in the future process,” Yüksekdağ said, when she was invited to comment on a June 15 statement by Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, which outlined his party’s hopes of forming a coalition that would reflect the desires of “the 60 percent bloc,” effectively ruling out any governing alliance with the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

“The main result that emerged from the June 7 election is our voters’ will for pluralistic politics. In this process, nobody has the right or luxury for getting involved in impositions such as ‘red lines, my understanding, my center and my framework.’ These impositions and limits are mainly set in regards to our party,” Yüksekdağ added, while speaking before a meeting with her party’s provincial chairs. 

“Some prejudices, bans and those well-known red lines have been overcome. The society in Turkey wants to see a government structure in line with pluralism. We are open to all meetings in regards to forming government and a coalition,” she reiterated. 

Her remarks came shortly after a senior leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Duran Kalkan, ruled out the engagement of the HDP in any coalition formula.

As long as the constitution and laws are not changed and a lack of showdown with “the fascist Sept. 12 system,” the HDP’s engagement in a coalition would turn the party into “a system party,” Kalkan said.

“New powers, and the HDP, cannot get involved with current governing powers. If it does, it will turn into a ‘system party’ because laws, constitution and system in Turkey have not changed and accounts with the fascist Sept. 12 system couldn’t be settled,” Kalkan said in an interview with the Mednuçe TV station, Doğan News Agency (DHA) reported on June 16.

“Whoever governs Turkey with these laws and constitution, and becomes the government in turn becomes that system’s party,” Kalkan was quoted as saying by the DHA.