Legislative Proposal from HDP to Abolish Highest Election Threshold in Europe

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) gave legislative proposal to Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) for 10% election threshold to be abolished.

HDP stated that when 10% election threshold was abolished, all fractions of society and political groups would join country’s willpower without an anti-democratic obstacle.

HDP Group Deputy Chairpersons Pervin Buldan and İdris Baluken stated:  

"Not political stability but authoritarianism"

 “Some social groups cannot enter parliament since election threshold is high, so these social groups’ economic, cultural or political requests cannot be represented in parliament.

 “In an era when social struggles keep up with democratization, not to improve democratization results in authoritarianism instead of political stability.

 “That’s a truth that in every point of the world, democracy and collaborate requests are increasing.  Political stability is not in the hand of one political view and social diversity is only provided with democratic ruling.

 “The highest election threshold is in Turkey”

  “Some countries with proportional representation have election threshold and it varies between 1% and 5%. In Germany it is 5%, in Austria it is 4%, in Holland it is 0.67% and in Italy it is 4%. In Turkey, election threshold is 10%. 

 “Turkey had election threshold in 1961 for the first time. After 1980 coup d’etat, it was decided that if political parties couldn’t pass 10% threshold, they couldn’t have deputies in parliament.

 “53% wasn’t represented”

  “In 2012 elections, 19 political parties entered elections but only two of them entered parliament. Distribution of the total votes was 47%. In order words, 53% of the voters wasn’t represented.

 “Election threshold blunts trust in democratic system and gives chance for some certain political group to rule the country and her institutions.

 “Democratization of democracy”

“Firstly, election threshold should be abolished if we want to rely on democratization of democracy.

 “Abolishing of the election threshold will result in public peace, strong economy, a secured democracy and law, peaceful political competitions and consultation.” (EKN/BD)

 Click here to read the article in Turkish