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The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) held its fifth regular congress in the capital Ankara on Sept. 6, with no changes expected to its name, charter or party program.
Party sources earlier told media outlets that the party’s transformation is planned for a future congress, while the Sept. 6 gathering was largely held to fulfill the legal requirement for political parties to convene regular congresses.
The congress had limited participation, with DEM Party lawmakers and representatives from provincial and district organizations in attendance.
Among those attending were Parliament Deputy Speaker Pervin Buldan, Şanlıurfa lawmaker Mithat Sancar, a member of the DEM Party’s İmralı delegation and DEM Party spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan. Other political parties were not invited, in line with the congress’s format.
DEM Party co-chairs Tuncer Bakırhan and Tülay Hatimoğulları were expected to retain their positions, while only limited changes are anticipated in the party’s Central Executive Board and Party Assembly.
In her address to the congress, Hatimoğulları extended greetings to farmers and workers across Türkiye, praising those working in the country’s agricultural regions and highlighting workers, the poor and people struggling with housing costs.
The DEM Party has played a key role in the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which seeks to facilitate the dissolution of the PKK. The party postponed its congress during the course of the initiative.
DEM Party’s previous congress was held in 2023, when it changed its name from the Green Left Party and elected Bakırhan and Hatimoğulları as co-chairs.
DEM Party spokesperson Doğan told BBC Türkçe that another congress will be held in the near future, where the party is expected to undergo a substantial transformation, although she did not disclose details about the planned changes.
