CHP Submits Roadmap for New Peace Process, Emphasising Lausanne and Atatürk Nationalism
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Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has submitted an expanded policy report to parliament’s newly established commission overseeing the renewed peace process. The document underscores constitutionalism, pluralist democracy, and civil rights while pointedly excluding any reference to Abdullah Öcalan, instead highlighting the Treaty of Lausanne and Atatürk’s concept of civic nationalism.
CHP Expands Report for Parliamentary Commission
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has delivered a substantially expanded report to the parliamentary commission established as part of the renewed peace process. Originally drafted as a 17-page document, the report was revised and submitted as a 53-page policy framework outlining the party’s proposals on democratization, rule of law, minority rights, and political normalization.
In the foreword, the CHP criticized the commission’s formation process, arguing that it should have been established through legislation rather than by the Speaker of Parliament’s initiative. The party also raised concerns about the commission’s credibility, citing what it described as ongoing anti-democratic practices.
Criticism of Democratic Backsliding
The report highlights several incidents that CHP says have undermined confidence in the peace process, including restrictions on Kurdish-language speeches by representatives of the Peace Mothers (Barış Anneleri) and what it described as politically motivated judicial actions against elected mayors.
It also criticizes the continued ban on Saturday Mothers’ (Cumartesi Anneleri) demonstrations at Istanbul’s Galatasaray Square and Türkiye’s failure to fully implement rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Call to Enforce Constitutional and ECHR Rulings
Among its core demands, the CHP urges full compliance with decisions of the Constitutional Court and the ECHR. The report calls for an end to the practice of re-enacting annulled legal provisions without substantive changes.
It further proposes disciplinary action, including dismissal, against judges and prosecutors who fail to implement binding court rulings, and calls on the parliamentary commission to formally urge compliance by all state institutions.
Lausanne Treaty and Atatürk Nationalism Emphasised
A central theme of the report is a reaffirmation of the Treaty of Lausanne as the cornerstone of national sovereignty and the Republic’s founding principles.
The CHP frames Atatürk nationalism as a civic concept rooted in equal citizenship rather than ethnic identity. According to the report, this understanding of nationalism rejects exclusion and affirms equal rights and freedoms for all citizens bound to the Republic through citizenship.
Proposed Legal Reforms
The party proposes sweeping legislative changes, including revisions to the Anti-Terror Law to eliminate vague language that restricts freedom of expression. It argues that non-violent acts should never be classified as terrorism and that definitions of terror-related crimes must be clarified through broad social consensus.
Other proposals include repealing censorship-related provisions of the disinformation law, removing clauses in the Cybersecurity Law that criminalize content related to alleged data leaks, and curbing the Radio and Television Supreme Council’s (RTÜK) power to impose fines and broadcast suspensions on critical media outlets.
The report also calls for amendments to the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations to remove unconstitutional restrictions.
Strengthening Pluralist Democracy
To reinforce pluralist democracy, the CHP proposes lowering the threshold for public funding of political parties to 1 percent of the national vote and ensuring fair distribution of treasury support.
It also calls for the establishment of a Final Accounts Committee chaired by the opposition, a legal review of cases involving those dismissed by emergency decrees, and the immediate repeal of legislation enabling the appointment of government trustees to municipalities.
Kurdish Issue Proposals
On the Kurdish issue, the report recommends establishing a parliamentary commission to identify and rename public spaces and institutions associated with past trauma.
It proposes allowing historical place names to be used alongside current names, opening state archives on the Dersim events to public and academic scrutiny, declaring Newroz an official public holiday, and converting Diyarbakır Prison into a “Human Rights and Democracy Museum.”
The CHP also calls for abolishing statutes of limitation for unresolved political killings.
Release of Political Prisoners
The report demands the release of politicians and bureaucrats detained under what it terms the “March 19 coup attempt,” as well as individuals imprisoned in high-profile cases such as Gezi and Kobani.
It calls for abolishing crimes related to insulting the president and public officials, while redefining offenses related to attacks on the presidency. The party also urges measures to prevent discrimination in public sector recruitment and promotions.
Hate Crimes and Civil Rights
CHP urges the formal inclusion of hate crimes in the Turkish Penal Code, with hate motivation defined as an aggravating factor.
The report highlights discrimination against refugees, Alevis, non-Muslims, and LGBTQ+ individuals, and calls for Türkiye’s reinstatement of the Istanbul Convention. It also advocates for equal and fair implementation of sentence enforcement across all social groups.
Alevi Rights and Religious Education
On Alevi rights, the CHP calls for recognition of cemevis as official places of worship and an end to mosque construction projects in Alevi villages aimed at assimilation.
It also proposes restructuring compulsory religious education into courses on the history and sociology of religions, while offering elective classes tailored to Alevi beliefs and practices. Projects involving religious orders, such as ÇEDES, should be terminated, the report states.
Economic Governance and Institutional Independence
The report extends its democratization agenda to economic governance, calling for the restoration of Central Bank independence and administrative and financial autonomy for the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) and regulatory bodies.
It highlights the growing role of the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), which oversees more than 1,100 trustee-managed companies, and urges reforms to limit its powers strictly to its original mandate under banking law.
Reference to CHP Congress Lawsuit
The CHP also references ongoing litigation related to its party congress, pointing to jurisdictional disputes among courts. It argues that the Supreme Election Council (YSK) should be designated as the sole authority for resolving disputes involving political parties.
No Reference to Öcalan
Notably, the report contains no reference to Abdullah Öcalan or to legal arrangements concerning imprisoned or disarmed members of militant organizations. While mother-tongue education is addressed in line with existing party policy, the report avoids proposals related to the so-called “right to hope.”
CHP Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Murat Emir said the party believes the report’s contents would face little public objection and emphasized that steps toward peace must not alienate families of fallen soldiers or veterans.
Upcoming CHP–DEM Party Talks
Separately, a postponed meeting between CHP and the pro-Kurdish DEM Party is scheduled to take place on Monday. The delay was due to CHP leader Özgür Özel attending the funeral of Şehzadeler Mayor Gülşah Durbay.
The DEM Party delegation—comprising Pervin Buldan, Mithat Sancar, and Faik Özgür Erol, who previously visited Abdullah Öcalan—will meet Özel as part of ongoing inter-party consultations related to the peace process.
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