BDP to discuss plans for ‘after immunity’

ANKARA

Kurds may not come back to this Parliament once again if immunities are lifted, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Kışanak has said. DAILY NEWS Photo / Selahattin Sönmez

In the face of threats to lift the immunities of 10 fellow colleagues, the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) will assess three options if immunities are eventually lifted.

These options include staying in Parliament as a party while holding protests both on the streets and in Parliament, withdrawing the party as a whole from Parliament and withdrawing from the entire political representation scene, including local administrations, according to information obtained by BDP sources.
As senior members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) hold an internal debate on how best to formulate their move to abolish the immunity of some BDP lawmakers, the BDP hammers out its roadmap for navigating what is sure to be a politically tense road.

The BDP signaled it might withdraw from Parliament if the AKP pushes for immunity abolition.
If all 35 lawmakers elected to Parliament from the BDP led-bloc resign, a by-election will be compulsory to fill the vacant parliamentary seats.

The BDP discussed this option when lawmakers elected from prison in the June 2011 elections were not released, but measures were not put it into practice when PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan spoke out in opposition to the plan.

The BDP is also mulling over the idea of withdrawing from all political posts, including Parliament and municipalities.