“Unless an end is put to [pushing] party or staff interests and unnecessary ideological clashes, a meaningful alliance cannot emerge,” Demirtas said.
Pushing agendas for smaller fractions distracts politicians from addressing the real needs of the people, Demirtas noted.
The Kurdish jailed politician further added that he does in fact believe it is possible to create a healthy foundation for debate and to form a democracy block that appeals to a wide societal base, Tukenmez News reported.
Demirtas said that it was “lovely” to see his wife Basak Demirtas attend a theater adaptation of one of his books alongside members of the opposition on January 11.
Basak Demirtas attended the opening performance of “Devran” with Dilek Imamoglu, wife of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), and Selvi Kilicdaroglu, the wife of CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
“Being together, showing solidarity, raising hope is above all a meaningful message for polarization,” Demirtas said.
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu had criticized the group attending a play together and had told Selahattin Demirtas that he “couldn’t wash the blood off his hands with theater.”
“One would think that something great would emerge from putting the words ‘Suleyman’ and ‘Soylu’ next to each other, but it’s the opposite. I don’t believe this individual deserves a reply from me,” Demirtas said.
Demirtas said that a potential alliance between the HDP and the new parties founded by former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan would depend on whether the latter would contribute to the democratization process.
“If they are willing to contribute to the democratization process, surely they will find a place in politics,” Demirtas said. “As far as I can tell, the HDP isn’t averse to democratic collaborations and that’s how it should be,” Demirtas said.
Davutoglu has presented an agenda of democratization, suggesting the Future Party will overturn the Constitution passed in the controversial 2017 referendum and reverse of the presidential system established by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Meanwhile, Babacan said in an interview with news portal T24 that Demirtas should stand trial without arrest. Demirtas has been in the Edirne Prison since November 4, 2016 on charges related to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – a group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
When asked what he thought about the politicians’ comments, Demirtas said that the new parties’ agendas will be the determining factor for a potential collaboration.
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