The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) election declaration, announced on May 26, promises autonomy to local governments, but has been accused of resembling pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) promises that caused conflicts in 2015.
The election declaration, presented by CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, promises to provide administrative and financial autonomy to local government. HDP deputies supported Kılıçdaroğlu, saying the election promise is similar to that of HDP's election promise in 2015.
The election manifesto promises to reorganize the sharing of authority and responsibility between central and local governments on the basis of localization, to reconstruct Turkey's administrative structure to make local governments more autonomous, while providing more resources locally and removing the drawbacks of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
Regarding the issue, HDP co-Chairwoman Pervin Buldan said in Aydın province on Tuesday, "It is pleasing that the CHP has reached the same point with us in this regard," concerning the matter of autonomy contained in the CHP election declarations. HDP deputy candidate Ferhat Tunç said, "If the HDP falls under the threshold on June 24, we will all lose, and the CHP will also lose."
In 2015, HDP released their election manifesto for the Nov. 1 general elections. Among the promises, the HDP highlighted a strong sense of autonomy that is reminiscent of the CHP manifesto. "Constitutional steps will be taken to remove the custody of the center from the local area. Local authorities will have greater access to local resources," it said.
Following the HDP's election manifesto, an umbrella group called the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) announced a 14-article declaration on Nov. 27, 2015, emphasizing the need to create autonomous regions, mainly inhabited by Kurds.
At the DTK meeting, HDP co-chairman Selahattin Demirtaş, currently imprisoned on several terror-related charges, announced his support for the declaration. The Ankara Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation of Demirtaş over the "autonomy" comments.
