EMEP: NOTHING IS OVER, WE WILL HEIGHTEN THE STRUGGLE FOR WORK, BREAD AND FREEDOM
“We cannot change the current situation by waiting for election periods. The way forward is for workers and labourers to unite and fight for their economic and political demands.”
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was re-elected in the second round of the presidential election with around 52 per cent of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK). The opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, remained at around 48 per cent.
In its statement on the election results, the Labour Party (EMEP) emphasised that in the election campaign the ruling bloc used state facilities and resources and prevented the opposition’s propaganda activities.
Reminding the change in the electoral law in 2022 to give the most favourable result for the ruling bloc, EMEP stated that Erdoğan narrowly won the election with unfair, unjust and tyrannical practices, through black propaganda by showing montaged videos at his rallies, making baseless allegations and declaring his opponents “terrorists”.
Stating that the way to change the one-man rule is not through the ballot box alone, but through strikes, struggles in working class neighbourhoods, campuses, women’s protests, rights defence, etc., EMEP stated, “The election results are not the end. The policies of the government continues uninterruptedly to build a reactionary, fascist regime, so will the struggle against them.”
A PERIOD IN WHICH THE OPPRESSION ON THE WORKING PEOPLE WILL INTENSIFY
In its statement, the Labour Party said:
“Turkey is facing a severe economic hold-up due to both the structural features of the system and the policies implemented by the one-man rule. Workers and labourers, who will now inevitably face the burdens that were postponed thanks to partial aids, bribes and ‘treats’ in the context of the election economy, will again have to bear the entire bill. We know from the pre-election period how any demands for rights, strikes, protests, resistances and objections are tried to be prevented with pressure and bans. The coming period will be a period in which the pressures on the working people, whose expectations will increase in order to make a living, to maintain daily life and even to survive, will be multiplied. Because now the government has no other way left.”
PROPAGANDA MOBILISATION
“Erdoğan and his party won the elections not only with election bribes but also with a massive propaganda mobilisation. A large army of media, the communication directorate and other covert apparatus such as the Pelikan gang have been mobilised to ‘create perception’ with the rhetoric that the bad trend will recede and prosperity will come with the growth of the country’s economy.
“We cannot change this current situation by waiting for election periods. The way out is for workers and labourers to unite and fight for their economic and political demands. There is no other effective option.”
FROM THE STRIKE, FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, FROM THE CAMPUS…
“The way to change the one-man rule is not through the ballot box alone, but through struggles such as strikes, working class neighbourhoods, campuses, women’s actions, defence of rights, etc. The regression and defeat of the one-man rule is possible with the united power of the exploited and oppressed masses.
“Another result of the election is that the main opposition, which has been encouraging the people to wait for the ballot box for years, has revealed the invalidity of its usual method. Due to discourse and propaganda that reminds the images of shoot-outs and street chases when it comes to struggle, the real rights and class struggle of the working people has been equated with the same.”
WE WILL WIN TOGETHER
“The election results are not the end. The struggle against the policies of the government, which continues uninterruptedly to build a reactionary, fascist regime, will continue uninterruptedly. We will change this order by growing the struggle for work, bread and freedom. We will win together; workers will win, people will win.”