Communist Party of Turkey: Flag-bearer of egalitarianism, freedom and patriotism

Turkey's local elections will be held on March, 31. According to the announcement of Turkey's Supreme Electoral Council, 13 parties, including the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), are eligible to participate in the local polls, through which metropolitan and district municipal mayors, as well as provincial and municipal councilors, will be elected in all 81 provinces of Turkey. 

The electoral process officially began on January 1 and the electoral strategies, as well as the candidates, of the parties participating in the elections have been the most discussed issue in Turkey's political atmosphere since then.

Turkish and Cuban communists honored the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution

TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan (left) with
Juan Carlos Aguilera of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Together with the José Martí Cuba Friendship Association, a member of ICAP (Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos), the Communist Party of Turkey organized a solidarity week with socialist Cuba and hosted a delegation of five, including representatives of the Communist Party of Cuba, the Cuban Parliament and ICAP. 

Responding to the call of TKP, thousands of friends of Cuba gathered in a series of events organized from the 25th of November to the 1st of December in three major cities of Turkey; Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

In Istanbul, under the title "Great Humanity is 60 years old", a large solidarity event was attended by hundreds of people, including representatives from the Communist Parties of Cuba (PCC) and Turkey (TKP). 

Crisis and Revolution - A report by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has recently published a report on the 1917 October Revolution anniversary. 

The report assesses the economic and political crisis in Turkey and the actuality of a socialist revolution for Turkey. 

You can read the full text of the report below:

Kemal Okuyan: "The goal of communism is absolutely timely today"

On the occasion of the 101st anniversary of the 1917 Great October Socialist Revolution, soL news portal interviewed Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP):

On the 7th of November, 101st anniversary of the October Revolution will be celebrated. Is there anything left to celebrate?

USSR has been collapsed, that is, the country that is founded on the basis of the Revolution now does not exist. From that point of view, it might be thought that there is nothing to be celebrated, however, the Revolution is the greatest event of the 20th century whose remains cannot be wiped off from the earth and which still continues to inspire those who are oppressed all around the world. Today, in Russia, various rock bands are playing songs saying 'Towards New Octobers". 

Turkish workers establish solidarity network against the crisis and the capitalists

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has inaugurated the solidarity, struggle and communication network of workers against the crisis and the capitalists, soL news portal reports. 

In its appeal, “the TKP will welcome those who wish to have access to this network at its buildings, clubhouses and representative agencies,” the party said. 

“We will join our forces. We will not bow down to the bosses. We will clamp down on the exploiters. Those who suppose that workers are all alone should know that we will breathe down bosses’ neck.”

Turkish communist leader Kemal Okuyan talks about the economic crisis

Kemal Okuyan, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), elaborated on the ongoing economic crisis for soL news portal. 

Okuyan highlighted that crises are inevitable under capitalism, and that they result in further monopolization as well as the reallocation of funds from toiling masses to capital. 

Emphasizing that expecting the crisis to lead Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or his AKP government to a political stalemate would be too optimistic, Okuyan pointed out that the political outcomes of the crisis would be determined by the struggle of the working class.

98 years of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP): Socialism is possible and necessary

On September 10th, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued a statement regarding the 98th anniversary since the foundation of the "oldest and youngest party" of the country:

"We will not content ourselves with something less than what is possible. Even though some claim that it is “impossible”, socialism is the only possible future in Turkey and the world.

The rest is nothing but darkness. The rest is nothing but lies.

Turkey's currency crisis: "Our country has become the playground of international monopolies" says the Communist Party

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has released a statement on the current currency crisis in Turkey, declaring that Turkey "has become the playground of international monopolies, companies and banks". 

The full statement issued by the TKP is the following:

DO NOT BE DUPED ANY MORE

Our country has become the playground of international monopolies, companies and banks, the names of which we cannot even pronounce correctly.

Communist Party of Turkey: We have to kick all of US imperialism out of our land!

Statement of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) on the recent tension between the governments of Turkey and the United States: 

We have to kick all of US imperialism out of our land, along with its bases, soldiers and collaborators.

It is impossible to achieve this within today’s system. Because today’s rule is the rule of money bags who make huge profits owing to their close relations with the US, NATO countries and the European Union and who see those relations as the assurance of the continuation of their rule. The party that is ruling today is a party that came to power by the open support and guidance of US. Those who are having a row with the US today are the same ones who were boasting of being strategic partners with the US yesterday.

Greece Wildfires: Statements of solidarity by the Communist Parties of Turkey (TKP) and Spain (PCPE)

On the tragic occasion of the deadly wildfires in the region of Attica, which resulted to at least 76 deaths, dozens of missing persons and 186 injured adults and children, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) issued statements of internationalist solidarity towards the Greek people. 

Turkish elections: "Bu Düzen Değişmeli" as the real alternative for the working people

As the June 24th elections in Turkey approach, the electoral platform "Bu Düzen Değişmeli" (This Social Order Must Change), supported by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), has intensified the struggle to inform the country's working class and popular strata that they actually have an alternative choice. The platform participates in the elections with 17 independent candidates in 13 provinces.

Below, we republish from soL portal, 19 basic policy points set by the TKP, as well as an electoral video which poses the question: 

Defying Erdogan: Turkey's Communist Party will nominate candidates for June elections

Despite the decision of the country's Suprepe Electoral Council to prohibit its participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections in June, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) is determined to fight against Erdogan government's authoritarianism and will nominate candidates under the slogan "This social order must change". 

TKP WILL NOMINATE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES for the PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.

Erdogan's regime prohibits Communists from participating in June elections

According to soL international latest report, Turkey's top election authority has ruled the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) will not be allowed to run in June 24 snap elections. 

Supreme Election Board (YSK) has also not approved the participation of the leftist ÖDP and EMEP. YSK, which acts according to the directives of the AKP government, announced that only 10 political parties were eligible to take part in the elections. 

Did you dare to criticize Erdogan on social media? You are under arrest!

The government of Tayyip Erdogan escalates repression measures thus increasing the number of the people detained for sharing social media posts which criticize the AKP government. 

As soL international reports, over a thousand of people including TKP members and citizens from other left-wing parties have been detained for sharing social media posts criticizing the government as the AKP tries to criminalize sharing news from soL.

845 Turkish citizens were detained in January and February for sharing social media posts criticising the government or “defaming” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as the number of detentions is gradually increasing every day.

KNE sends message of solidarity to TKG: "Hands off the Communist Youth of Turkey"!

Regarding the recent attack of fascists against members of the Communist Youth of Turkey (Türkiye Komünist Gençliği-TKG) who were distributing anti-NATO leaflets at Istanbul University's Beyazit campus and the subsequent arrest of comrades by the police, the Central Council of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) issued a statement of solidarity towards TKG.

Among other things, the statement highlights the political activity of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and its youth (TKG) in universities and schools "despite the continuing surveillance of its members by security forces and the police". 

The Communist Party of Turkey demands: "Leave NATO, close down Incirlik base!"

A campaign of collecting signatures against NATO has been launched by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), demanding Turkey's disengagement from the imperialist North Atlantic alliance and the closure of the Incirlik military base. 

Members of the Communist Party have already started the effort to reach as many people as possible, distributing the party newspaper "Boyun Egme" in the streets. 

In a statement, TKP strongly condemns the policy of Erdogan's AKP government, writing among other things: "The reactionary capitalist class and the AKP government have no other purpose than to find a new role in the imperialist order and continue on the same path as a desirable partner".

Turkey: Women call for March 8 protest in Istanbul - No to exploitation, reactionism and sexual abuse

As soL international reports, women from the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) have issued an invitation to people for a protest on March 8th in Istanbul. 

"We are calling on every woman to strengthen the struggle for socialism for a life in an enlightened Turkey where women will be equal parties right from the beginning, instead of a life in capitalism that is the origin of inequality, reactionary oppressions and threats" reads their statement for March 8 demonstrations.

Turkish authorities arrested Communist Party's members in Çanakkale

Ten days ago, in the western city of Bursa, members of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) who were distributing handouts inviting locals to "people’s alternative is strengthening” meeting, were detained by the authorities. 

This time, according to soL international, the regime of Tayyip Erdogan arrested five TKP members in the northwestern province of Çanakkale. 

The Communist Party of Turkey is the process of organizing various political meetings across the country under the slogan "Turkey is not hopeless, people's alternative is strengthening". 

Turkey: Erdogan's AKP government bans metalworkers strike as a "threat to the national security"

According to a soL international report, Turkey's AKP government has banned a strike in Turkey’s metal sector, citing national security. 

The government decree, signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, considers the metalworkers' mass strike as a "threat to the national security of Turkey".

Metal workers, rejecting Turkey's pro-capitalist Metal Industrialists Union (MESS)’s unacceptable offer that includes a 3-year validity period for its contract and a 6.4% wage increase, have decided to go on strike on February 2, 2018.

Hands Off Syria! TKP and Turkey's Peace Committee condemn Erdogan's Afrin operation in Syria

In a statement published on January 21st, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) condemns the military operation of Erdogan's government against Syria. Noting that Syria has long been turned into an arena for the bloody games of the imperialist powers, and that the AKP government of Turkey has sought ways to integrate in these imperialist projects, TKP underlined that the Turkish AKP government's recent military operation in Syria has "nothing to do with any national interest or security issue of Turkey."