Union of Socialist Forces

The Union of Socialist Forces (Turkish: Sosyalist Güç Birliği) was an electoral alliance in Turkey, formed by Left Party (SOL), Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Communist Movement of Turkey (TKH) and Revolution Movement (DH) to contest the Turkish general elections in 2023.[1] The alliance was made public on the 21 August 2022.[2] The alliance was announced alongside a supporting declaration, signed by 226 Turkish public figures, including intellectuals, authors, trade unionists, artists, lawyers and journalists.[3]

Union of Socialist Forces
Sosyalist Güç Birliği
Founded21 August 2022
Dissolved28 May 2023
Political positionFar-left
Colors  Red

It had been stated by members of constituent parties that the Union of Socialist Forces was not merely an electoral alliance. The founding mission of the alliance was to create an independent, non-establishment line for the socialist left in Turkey outside of intra-system politics.[4] But according to statements released after the election, the alliance has ended.[5][6]

Ideology

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In their declaration document, the alliance offered five points as their ideological ground. These points were focused on forced nationalisation and anti-capitalism, societal equality and public ownership, anti-NATO and anti-American international policies, secularism and anti-clericalism, especially against Islamic sects in Turkey, and anti-discrimination in the Turkish society.[3] The USF denoted that the Nation Alliance has "a right-wing, pro-business character" and "will not be able to solve the (real) problems of the country".[3] The Alliance expressed that it was in favor of all peoples living in Turkey living their identities and cultures freely, and that the Kurdish people can express themselves as a people and live their culture and identities freely, but that they must continue their struggle to change Turkey together.[7]

Composition

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Party Abbr. Leader Ideology Seats in parliament
Left Party
SOL Parti
SOL Önder İşleyen Revolutionary socialism
Left-wing populism
Secularism
0 / 600
Communist Party of Turkey
Türkiye Komünist Partisi
TKP Kemal Okuyan Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Hard Euroscepticism
Secularism
Anti-clericalism
0 / 600
Communist Movement of Turkey
Türkiye Komünist Hareketi
TKH Aysel Tekerek Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Hard Euroscepticism
Secularism
0 / 600
Revolution Movement [tr]
Devrim Hareketi
DH Erçin Fırat Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Republicanism
0 / 600

Supporting parties

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Party Abbr. Leader Ideology Seats in parliament
Socialist Republican Party
[8]
Sosyalist Cumhuriyet Partisi
SCP Yılmaz Ersezer National Democratic Revolution
Left-wing Kemalism
Scientific socialism
Hard Euroscepticism
Secularism
Eurasianism
0 / 600
Socialist Workers' Party of Turkey
[9]
Türkiye Sosyalist İşçi Partisi
TSİP Turgut Koçak Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Anti-Revisionism
0 / 600
Revolutionary Workers' Party
[10]
Devrimci İşçi Partisi
DİP Ömer Sungur Savran Trotskyism
Revolutionary socialism
Hard Euroscepticism
0 / 600

Notes

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Exclusively supports the Communist Movement of Turkey.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Sosyalist Güç Birliği kuruldu: 'Bu halk düşmanı rejime son vereceğiz'". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  2. ^ Duvar, Gazete (2022-08-20). "Devrim Hareketi, Sol Parti, TKP ve TKH 'güç birliğini' ilan etti". gazeteduvar.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  3. ^ a b c Gazetesi, Evrensel. "Sosyalist Güç Birliği kuruluşunu ilan etti". Evrensel.net (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  4. ^ Gazetesi, Bir Gün. "Sosyalist Güç Birliği üzerine". birgun.net (in Turkish).
  5. ^ "Alper Taş: Seçimler sol-sosyalist hareketlerin havasını bozuyor". artigercek (in Turkish). 18 June 2023. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  6. ^ "TKP Genel Sekreteri yeni dönem siyasetini açıkladı: Kimileri 'Komünistlerle Kemalistlerin ittifakı' diyor". Cumhurivet (in Turkish). 9 October 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Sosyalist Güç Birliği kuruldu: Kürt sorununa yaklaşımı nasıl, HDP neden yer almadı?". Rûdaw. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  8. ^ Sosyalist Cumhuriyet Partisi (21 March 2023). "Sosyalist Cumhuriyet Partisi: 'Sistem İçi Çözüm İddiaları ve Emperyalist Merkezlerin Dayattığı Alternatifler Halkın Sorunlarını Çözmek Bir Yana Katlanarak Büyümesine Sebep Olacaktır.'".
  9. ^ Koçak, Turgut (19 March 2023). "TSİP Genel Başkanı Turgut Koçak: 'Türkiye Sosyalist İşçi Partisi olarak seçimlere Sosyalist Güç Birliği (SGB) ile birlikte giriyoruz'".
  10. ^ "14 Mayıs seçimlerinin niteliği ve Devrimci İşçi Partisi'nin tutumu: Nefes almak için sınıf mücadelesi!". 24 April 2023.