CHP leader pledges Roma seats in parliament
IZMIR
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel on April 3 sharply criticized the lack of Romani representation in Türkiye's parliament, calling it "a greatest shame" and pledging concrete steps to ensure their inclusion.
At a gathering with Roma people in the western city of İzmir, Özel said the absence of Roma lawmakers in Türkiye's parliament reflects a broader failure of the political system to represent all segments of society.
“This period’s biggest disgrace is that Roma are not represented in parliament,” Özel said, adding that his party bears responsibility to address the gap.
He said the CHP, as a social democratic party, must take the lead in correcting what he described as a systemic shortcoming. “We have a firm will on this issue,” he said.
“If there are no Roma in parliament, it means the democratic parliamentary system is not being experienced by Roma citizens,” he added, also promising budgetary commitments.
His remarks also included a broader call to tackle discrimination and inequality faced by Roma communities, particularly in areas such as education and social inclusion.
Roma representation in Türkiye's legislature has been limited, with CHP's Özcan Purçu becoming the country’s first Romani lawmaker in 2015. Since then, representation has remained inconsistent.
The Family and Social Services Ministry prepared an action plan for Roma citizens in 2022, aiming to improve their life conditions.
The plan outlined for 2030 concerns six different areas: Education, employment, health, housing, social assistance and social service, taking aim at raising the living standards.
Moreover, “youth offices” were planned to be established in Romani neighborhoods, enabling young people to acquire hobbies and spend quality time. Besides, authorities vowed to facilitate the participation of Roma citizens in job search processes.
In order to increase their employability, vocational training courses were set in line with the needs of the region.