‘New Turkey’ needs a ‘new’ party on the left

We have been experiencing a “new Turkey” since the beginning of this week. A “new Turkey” in which president-elect Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is destined to become the sole decider for both the future of the ruling party and the country.

The results of the Aug. 10 presidential election give politicians two important messages:

1. The majority of the voters are behind Erdoğan, a conservative politician who is a proud Sunni Muslim and does not shy away from discriminating against the followers of any other belief or non-believers.

2. Those who do not support Erdoğan may hesitate to back a candidate or party only based on their dislike of the current situation.

Leaving aside the debate over the next prime minister and what will happen in the Justice and Development Party (AKP), an issue that some opposition members are unfortunately pinning their hopes on, those who dream of a different Turkey – and believe that their dream is possible through the parliamentary system – should get ready to start from scratch.

Let’s get the facts clear first: Turkey is a Sunni Muslim-dominated country where over 60 percent of citizens define themselves as conservatives, rightists, Turkish nationalists, or Muslims. So a leftist or center-leftist popular party aiming to win elections starts the game one goal behind.

The major player on the left of the political spectrum in Turkey – at least it claims to be - is the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). But here is the problem: The CHP was not founded to be a leftist party, the party’s name is behind all the atrocities of the one-party era, from the foundation of the Republic in 1923 up to the 1950 general...