Republican People's Party

Republican People's Party is the oldest political party in Turkey, founded by the republic's founding father, Must Kemal Atatürk. It served as the ruling party during the single-party period of the Turkish Republic until the transition to a multi-party system. Historically the standard-bearer of Kemalism and secularism, it is a main opposition force advocating for social democracy, rule of law, and European Union membership.

History

The party was established by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on 9 September 1923, initially as the "People's Party," and played a foundational role in shaping the modern Turkish state after the Turkish War of Independence. It governed Turkey as a single-party state until 1946, overseeing radical reforms like the adoption of the Latin alphabet and the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate. After the introduction of multi-party politics, it lost the first democratic election in 1950 to the Democrat Party and spent much of the subsequent decades in opposition. The party was banned following the 1980 Turkish coup d'état but re-established in 1992, and later entered a pivotal coalition government with the Democratic Left Party after the 1999 Turkish general election. In the 2000s, under leaders like Deniz Baykal and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, it consolidated its role as the primary opposition to the ruling Justice and Development Party, a position reaffirmed after the 2023 Turkish general election.

Ideology and political positions

The party's core ideology is Kemalism, built upon the Six Arrows principles of republicanism, populism, secularism, reformism, statism, and nationalism. It is a fervent defender of laïc secularism in the tradition of the Turkish Constitution of 1924, often clashing with policies of the Presidency of Religious Affairs. Its economic platform has evolved from strict statism to a modern centre-left social democracy, supporting a strong welfare state and trade union rights. On foreign policy, it is a staunch proponent of accession to the European Union and maintains a critical stance towards the foreign policy of the Erdoğan government, particularly regarding Cyprus and relations with Syria. It also emphasizes strengthening ties with NATO and the Western world.

Organization and structure

The party is organized with a central executive committee headquartered in Ankara and provincial chapters across all 81 provinces. Its highest decision-making body is the biannual Party Congress, which elects the Party Chairperson and the Central Executive Committee. Key affiliated organizations include CHP Youth, the main youth wing, and the Republican People's Party Women's Branches. It maintains close ties with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) and is a member of the Socialist International and the Progressive Alliance. The party publishes the historical newspaper Ulus and operates numerous local party houses.

Electoral performance

The party won every election during the single-party period until its first defeat in the 1950 Turkish general election. Its vote share fluctuated throughout the late 20th century, participating in coalition governments such as those following the 1973 Turkish general election and the 1999 Turkish general election. In the 21st century, it has consistently placed second in national elections behind the Justice and Development Party, securing between 20-30% of the vote. A significant performance was in the 2019 Turkish local elections, where it won key municipalities including İstanbul and Ankara. In the most recent 2023 Turkish general election, it formed the core of the Nation Alliance and won 25.3% of the vote, securing 129 seats in the Grand National Assembly.

Leadership

The founding and iconic leader was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, followed by İsmet İnönü, who led the party for over three decades through the transition to multi-party politics. Notable chairpersons in the later 20th century included Bülent Ecevit, who later founded the Democratic Left Party, and Deniz Baykal, who led the party's re-establishment in the 1990s. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu served as chairman from 2010 to 2023, presiding over its modern social democratic shift and leading the Nation Alliance. The current chairman, elected in 2023, is Özgür Özel. Other prominent figures include former Secretary-General Selin Sayek Böke and former Vice Chair Engin Altay.

Category:Political parties in Turkey Category:Social democratic parties Category:Secularist parties