Guest author Assoc. Prof. Kemal ÇİFTÇİ
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk founded the Republican People's Party (CHP) on September 9, 1923, as a continuation of the “Anatolian and Rumelia Society for the Law of Mudafaa-i Hukuk”, which organized and led the War of Independence, shortly before the new state's regime was declared a ’Republic’ on October 29, 1923. There is no doubt that the CHP was founded with the aim of governing the Republic of Turkey in line with certain principles.
Indeed, the cadres of the CHP had lived through the period of the collapse and disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, and after the loss of an empire, they took part in the War of Independence with the will to create a new state and to deal with its internal and external problems.
It can be argued that the CHP's struggle to bring the state into existence and to solve its internal and external problems has been passed down from generation to generation and has a continuity. The issues included in the government programs of the prime ministers of the CHP show that the CHP had an understanding of state management and that this understanding was given continuity.
The noteworthy points in the CHP's prime ministers and government programs are summarized as follows:
- After declaring the ’Republic“ on October 29, 1923, Atatürk appointed the first Republican government on October 30, 1923. İsmet İnönü established a government. İsmet İnönü was one of the names that continued to form governments in the following periods. In the first government program, İsmet İnönü stated that the Government of the Republic would act with utmost determination and fortitude, with utmost persistence and follow-up in order to ensure domestic peace and security, progress and development; that it would strive to ensure the existence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Turkey in its foreign policy; and that the Government of the Republic would do more deeds than words. In the following programs, it is observed that the following were also mentioned: the development of national unity and security and economic power in all areas; the primary importance attached to the country living in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility at home and abroad; strong State authority and a strong Government; “ensuring the absolute sovereignty of the Constitution”; and ensuring peace and good relations among citizens in the country's domestic policy.
- Fethi Okyar’in the program of the government he formed on November 22, 1924. “our great Army”, It is mentioned that it is the protector of the Turkish homeland and that it will be equipped with the necessary equipment and that general order and peace will be ensured by strengthening internal order.
- Celal Bayar’founded on November 01, 1937 t in the government programof the program to follow, Great Turkish Nation’The realist and dynamic program of the Republican People's Party, which gathers the desires and wills of the Republic of Turkey, is stated to be the realist and dynamic program of the Republican People's Party. Government, “Always stronger, always more prosperous, free and independent Turkey” that he took it upon himself to accomplish his work; “Kemalist regime”does not and will not accept an interest that is incompatible with the national interest.
Bayar, “Atatürk saved us a wounded homeland.” and he says Ataturk's vision was to completely cleanse this wounded homeland of superstitions, myths and some divine ideas that had permeated it for centuries. by establishing a strong regime and made them happy and prosperous.
- Refik Saydam’in the program of the government he formed on January 25, 1939. “Revolution Laws”The Ministry is determined to continue its implementation with sensitivity in order to ensure its unshakable functioning in the national structure.
- Şükrü Saraçoğlu’of On March 09, 1943, in his government program “A prosperous Turkish homeland, a happy Turkish nation, a strong Turkish State; these are our goals.” It is called.
- Recep Peker’in the program of the government formed on August 07, 1946. “...Your Government is determined to establish democracy as the supreme political principle in the country.” It is said, “To protect freedom, which is the right of all citizens, from the enemies of freedom” that it is necessary. “Army of the Republic”The Turkish President, with the highest qualifications and the noblest feelings, is ready to protect the security of our territory, the honor and rights of the State.
- Hasan Saka’of On September 10, 1947, in the program of the government he formed, It is stated that the Republican People's Party Government considers it a natural necessity of life that political parties, whether in majority or minority, in power or in opposition, should not be treated differently by the State Administrative Organization and that they should have the opportunity to work based on the rights granted to them by law.
- Şemsettin Günaltay’in the program of the government he formed on January 16, 1949, “...like the Governments before us, we will keep our national defense, which is the guarantee of our national integrity, at the forefront of every cause.” It is called.
- Bülent Ecevit’in the program of the government formed on 26.01.1974 “We will develop our own national defense policy, strategy and capabilities for our national security and defense”and “Our Armed Forces” development will increasingly be based on our national resources. Ecevit, in his subsequent government programs “To protect and defend the Republic of Turkey, which is Atatürk's trust, against all kinds of unconstitutional activities”, “To protect the State of the Republic of Turkey against all kinds of dangers that may come from outside and within” he mentions.
The CHP's understanding of state governance can be deduced from the issues included in the government programs of CHP prime ministers. The main aspects of this understanding of state governance;
- Ensuring peace, tranquility and security at home and abroad,
- Protection of the existence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Turkey,
- Ensuring national unity and security, developing economic power,
- The state and the government must be strong, and care must be taken to equip the Republican Army, the protector of the Turkish homeland, with the necessary equipment,
- Adherence to the realist and dynamic program of the Republican People's Party,
- Formulation of policies in the national interest, promotion of democracy,
- Equal treatment of citizens and political parties before state organs,
- Basing national security and defense on national resources,
- Protecting the State of the Republic of Turkey against all kinds of external and internal threats
can be expressed as.
The CHP was founded by Atatürk to govern the Republic of Turkey in line with certain principles, and it is understood from the issues included in the government programs and practices of the prime ministers of the CHP that they have the ability to govern the state. The memory of the CHP, its transmission from generation to generation, and Turkey's political history indicate that the CHP has the cadres and mentality that can govern the state in the most accurate and sound manner.
In Turkey, the CHP is the only political force and party that can be the strong and carrier voice of the growing opposition within the political sphere penetrated by the AKP, which came to power with the general elections of November 3, 2002, as domestic and external conditions permitted.
The CHP, on the other hand, is a party that can govern the state by thinking and acting like Atatürk, that has the memory of the state and the ability to govern. “We will govern the state, we will overcome all internal and external problems and we will make Turkey a country of happy people” The need for a political understanding and a cadre that can say, "We need a political understanding and a cadre that can say, "We need a political understanding and a cadre that can say.
CHP's “shady”li “Congress” under the leadership of Özgür Özel, who became the 8th chairman of the party at the November 4-5, 2023 congress, it has rapidly ceased to be possible to save Turkey from the AKP rule.
Ozgur Ozel “normalization”, “détente”, “new Constitution” that the process started with the voicing of his rhetoric, to allow the government to regain the psychological upper hand and to regulate the political sphere through the judiciary, It continued with the appointment of trustees to some CHP municipalities, and even the revocation of the diploma of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the CHP's Mayor of Istanbul, before his investigation and arrest on charges of bribery and bid rigging.
There is a risk that the CHP will be increasingly battered by ongoing investigations and lawsuits, which are not entirely baseless, and that it will be turned into a punching bag for the ruling circles. The only way to fight back is to bring in cadres with no vacancies and no “shame” into power.
As soon as possible, the CHP must put in place an administration that is capable of governing the Republic of Turkey, that does not have the slightest deficit or “shadow”, that can challenge the AKP government, and that will restore hope for power.
As Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said, “There are no hopeless situations, only hopeless people.” Turkey's hope is CHP and if CHP is saved, Turkey will be saved.30.03.2025
Guest author Assoc. Prof. Kemal ÇİFTÇİ