Strong Reaction from United Public-Is Confederation: "The Appointment of Trustees to the Main Opposition Party is a Coup on Democracy"

ANKARA - Turkey's political scene has been shaken by a controversial court decision against the Istanbul Provincial Presidency of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). The dismissal of the provincial chairman and his administration by a court decision and the appointment of trustees in their place was evaluated by the United Public-Is Confederation as "a new intervention in democracy". In a press release, the Confederation emphasized that this step is a new proof that the political power uses the judiciary as a tool to protect its power.

The confederation pointed out that the increasing pressure against the opposition, which emerged as the first party in the recent local elections and whose support is growing in public opinion polls, has reached alarming dimensions. The statement recalled the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and many municipality executives and stated that these arrests were tried to be legitimized through "partisan media" with baseless claims such as "the corruption investigation of the century". United Kamu-İş argued that these operations were not legal, but a purely political "design plan."

The statement stated that the principle of the rule of law has been violated and criticized the dominant mentality of "I do it because I can". The exclusion from the investigation of the periods when the same activities were carried out in the administration of municipalities belonging to the ruling party was cited as the most important factor proving this situation. United Kamu-İş stated that such practices usurp the most fundamental right of citizens, the right to vote, and deal a major blow to the culture of democracy.

The United Public Workers' Union Central Executive Board underlined that they have always been in favor of democracy and the achievements of the Republic, regardless of party affiliation. "In democracies, citizens elect their rulers, hold them to account and if they don't like them, they change them through elections. This mechanism cannot be abolished by abusing the forces of the state that are supposed to be neutral. The Republic that Atatürk brought to these lands cannot be taken step by step to non-election."

The confederation stated that trying to intimidate the opposition with the stick of the judiciary cannot be a democratic method and emphasized that as a labor organization as well as a democratic mass organization, they will follow this process and guard the rights of citizens. The statement concluded with a call for the process to proceed transparently and in a way that does not harm the public's sense of justice.