At the 8th meeting of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission in Parliament, Arzu Çerkezoğlu stressed the historical significance of the process: “For the future of our country, we cannot endure new suffering. We believe that all problems can be solved through democracy.”
She underlined that the struggle for labor and the struggle for democracy cannot be separated and added: “Democracy is the bread of the workers. Without democracy, there is no bread.”
Çerkezoğlu said the commission’s work must also gain social legitimacy: “This legitimacy can be built by guaranteeing the rule of law, judicial independence, freedom of organization, and especially trade union rights, along with other fundamental rights and freedoms. Peace and democracy cannot be considered separately. To win democracy, peace is necessary; to win peace, one must insist on democracy. The minimum condition of democracy is respect for the right to vote and be elected.”
She criticized the appointment of government trustees to replace elected mayors: “This process must not be sacrificed to small political calculations. It must also put an end to the debates surrounding our legal system and democracy.”
Emphasizing that lasting peace must be built on justice, Çerkezoğlu referred to the principles of the International Labour Organization (ILO): “Universal and lasting peace can only be established on social justice.”
Pointing to Turkey’s harsh economic conditions, she added: “We demand justice in taxation, justice in income distribution, and wages sufficient for a decent life. To achieve this, democracy and the rule of law must be restored.”
Çerkezoğlu noted that workers pay the highest price in wars: “What arms dealers gain, workers pay for with their lives, blood, and the values they produce. Being equal citizens of a democratic, secular, and social republic is the key to the solution.”