Turkey’s main opposition party to name women at top of electoral lists

ANKARA

Main opposition CHP has 17 female lawmakers, meaning only 13 percent of the party is represented by women. DHA Photo

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has decided to nominate women at the top of its electoral list in Turkey’s three largest provinces, in a move aimed at improving low female representation in the country’s politics.

“Female candidates will run in the first ranks of Istanbul’s first three districts, as well as the first two districts of Ankara and İzmir,” CHP Spokesperson Atilla Koç announced on Feb. 15, speaking after his party’s assembly meeting.

“Our chairman also wishes for this move,” Koç said, expressing CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s support for the decision that is intended to give more room for women in politics ahead of the general elections schedule for June 7.

The spokesperson also announced that the CHP will hold primary elections for more than half of the electoral districts in order to enhance the democratic election process within the party.

“The CHP has made the decision of pre-determining its candidates by holding 55 primary elections in 85 electoral districts, while almost all the other political parties in Turkey prefer to name candidates according to orders coming from certain tutelage forces or powers,” he said.

Koç said candidates in the remaining 30 districts will be decided by the examination of the party center.

According to the 2011 general elections, there are a total of 77 women lawmakers in parliament, constituting only 14 percent of the lawmaking body.

While the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) tops in the number of female deputies with 45 women representing the party, making 14 percent of its party group, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) champions the ratio of women, as around 28 percent of the party’s ranks are constituted by eight female lawmakers.

The CHP, meanwhile, has 17 female lawmakers, meaning only 13 percent of the party is represented by women.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has the worst performance in terms of women’s political presence, with just three female deputies, 5 percent of the party’s total.