The co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Tuncer Bakırhan, sharply criticized the political situation in Turkey in his weekly parliamentary group speech, addressing a series of social crises. At the beginning, Bakırhan referred to the flood disaster in Siirt and expressed his solidarity with those affected. At the same time, he called on the relevant authorities to quickly assess and repair the damage.
Bakırhan then pointed to the situation of miners protesting in Ankara over unpaid wages. He described the detention of more than 100 workers as unacceptable. “These workers have been fighting for months to receive their wages,” Bakırhan said, calling for their immediate release and the payment of their dues.
Deadly attacks at schools
Another focus of Bakırhan’s speech was the deadly attacks at schools last week in the provinces of Urfa and Maraş. He emphasized that he was speaking not only as a politician but also as a father. “I am one of millions of parents who send their children to school in the morning and wait for their return in the evening,” he said. The events, he added, are a reflection of a deep social crisis stemming from isolation, lack of prospects, and growing despair.
The DEM Party co-chair then criticized the government’s education policy, stating that the education system has increasingly become a tool of ideological influence. “We want high-quality public education; not ideological, but free and in the mother tongue,” he said. He also addressed the increasing militarization of society. According to estimates, there are between 10 and 30 million unregistered weapons in the country.
“Crises are not solved, but managed”
“We do not even know how many people are armed,” Bakırhan said, pointing to rising levels of violent crime, including among young people. He placed responsibility for this development clearly on the government. “For years, crises and problems have not been solved, but managed.” While in other countries political consequences follow disasters, this does not happen in Turkey, Bakırhan said as he specifically called on Education Minister Yusuf Tekin to resign.
Gülistan Doku
Bakırhan devoted a central part of his speech to the situation of women and unresolved violent crimes. “One of the most serious problems is the increase in femicides, suspicious deaths, and missing women,” he said. He highlighted the case of the student Gülistan Doku, who has been missing for years, saying: “Gülistan is not a person, but a question. For six years, this question has been posed to the conscience of this country, yet it remains unanswered.” The reopening of the investigation, he noted, is due to the continued pressure from the family, women’s organizations, and the public.
Many other cases: Rojin Kabaiş, Nadira Kadirova, Rabia Naz
The Gülistan Doku case, he said, demonstrates fundamental deficiencies in the judicial system. Bakırhan spoke of possible links between authorities, politics, and the security apparatus that must be clarified. He also referred to other cases such as Rojin Kabaiş, Nadira Kadirova, and Rabia Naz, calling for comprehensive investigations. In this context, the DEM Party co-chair warned that structures resembling known scandals of state entanglement are becoming entrenched in Turkey. It is not only about individual cases, but about the fundamental question of the rule of law and accountability, he added.
Take to the streets on May 1
Bakırhan also stressed that political and social developments cannot be considered separately. “Without democratization, there can be no normalization. The current situation reflects a deeper political crisis,” he said. In conclusion, he called for participation in the upcoming May Day demonstrations. Following the mobilizations on March 8 and the Newroz celebrations, he said it is now time to collectively take social rights and demands to the streets. “The greatest fear of those in power is the united movement of the disadvantaged,” Bakırhan added.
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