Women Pushed to The Bottom in Election Lists

The women branches of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the Motherland Party (ANAP), the True Path Party (DYP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) are doubtful if there will really be an increase in women candidates.

No women will be placed in the first three positions. Some have commented bianet that there is no hope of "positive discrimination" by placing women to the top of lists or waiving the application fees.

Okuducu of the CHP told bianet that the "Republican Rallies", to protest against the religious government, which have recently swept major Turkish cities, had made women visible. Ogüş of the AKP claims that the party is aiming at raising the status and participation of women, while Eser of the MHP "has never seen so many women candidates", and ANAP's Yaldiz emphasised that the party is not asking for application fees from women.

CHP is charging women candidates

The president of the CHP women's branch Güldal Okuducu claims that they will not try to match the AKP's aim of 25 women MPs; rather, that they are trying to make women visible in those constituencies where they have a chance of election. While the party had waived the fee for female applicants in the previous general elections, this time women are required to pay 500 YTL.

No women at the top in the DYP

The DYP women's branch president Ayşe Sayli claims that thanks to the "Republican Rally" in Çaglayan (İstanbul), women have been encouraged to apply. She states that up to a third of the applicants for candidature are women, including the eastern regions. The DYP is charging female applicants 500 YTL, a reduction compared to the charge of 2,000 YTL leveled for men. Sayli regrets that "male prejudice" makes it impossible for women candidates to be given preferred treatment and placed at the top of electoral lists.

In the MHP, "candidature based on merit"

The secretary of the MHP's women's branch, Aysel Eser, speaks of the interest women have displayed in candidature. Like in other parties, they will be charged 500 YTL, and they will not be represented in the first three places.

The President of the ANAP women's branch, Ebru Kurban Yaldiz, states that a third of their candidates are taken from the ranks of women and the young, and that fees are waived for female applicants.

AKP frowns on positive discrimination

Ögüs of the AKP believes in electoral equality of men and women, and is committed to "elevating the status of women and increasing their representation in decision-making positions. Ögüs does not believe in positive discrimination, and the application charge for women is 500 YTL. However, the party is aiming at sending 25 women into parliament, and this may be achieved by placing women first in certain constituencies. (AÖ/AA/YE)