SIW Congratulates Members in Turkey for Record Increase in Female MPs

08 June 2015

The Socialist International Women (SIW) sincerely congratulates its member parties, the CHP and the HDP, for their exceptional performance in the general elections in Turkey. This was a volatile campaign with a high level of violence shown towards opposition parties. This aggression resulted in two fatalities and over 100 injured in an incendiary attack on June 5 prior to the HDP rally in Diyarbakir and one CHP candidate being injured in an armed assault in Adana.

Despite a challenging election climate SIW notes that the CHP won a 25% share of voters and the HDP successfully exceeded the 10% threshold for entering parliament by winning over 13% of the vote.

SIW warmly applauds its member parties in Turkey for these results and particularly notes the record increase in the number of seats won by women. At the last general election in 2011 there were 79 women delegates in the Grand National Assembly, there are now 96 women delegates. This increase in the number of women who are able to actively participate in the decisions made by the Assembly is concrete evidence that positive, democratic change in the social fabric of Turkey is becoming a reality.

SIW also salutes women of the CHP and the HDP for the important role they played in the election campaigns and for their efforts towards the integration and participation of women in politics.

SIW passionately believes that increasing the participation of women in the high-level decision making processes of nations and communities is an essential foundation to the achievement and safeguarding of true equality for all citizens. SIW continues to support all efforts to progress the achievement of social equality, justice, equal opportunities, freedom and respect for all peoples, be they men, women or children.