ISTANBUL'S AK PARTY WOMEN: GETTING (RELATIVELY)

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 002110

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TU POLITICAL PARTIES
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL'S AK PARTY WOMEN: GETTING (RELATIVELY)
FIRED UP


Sensitive but Unclassified -- not for internet distribution.


1. (SBU) Summary: Turkey's ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) Istanbul Women's Branch celebrated the 71st
anniversary of women's suffrage in Turkey December 5 with a
panel discussion focused on expanding the role of women in
politics. AKP remains a party in which women do the
grassroots work necessary to win elections, but still have no
real leadership or decision making roles. However, one NGO
panelist urged the audience to "pressure" party officials for
change, adding that being elected and serving in party
administration are what count most, and calling for changes
to the political party law to allow women's branches of
parties to control funds specifically for women candidates.
The audience responded enthusiastically. A more subdued
panel moderator suggested a softer tone might be more
effective in pushing the women's agenda within the party.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) Standing room only: AKP MP Burhan Kuzu, AKP
Istanbul Municipal Assembly member Belma Satir, and KADER
President Seyhan Eksioglu participated as panelists at the
event, held in a packed meeting room at a downtown hotel.
(Note: KADER is a nonpartisan NGO devoted to training women
candidates in Turkey. End note.) Kuzu and Satir explored
themes ranging from a comparative history of suffrage
movements, to statistics about women's political
representation in Turkey and other European countries, and
the pros and cons of quota systems. It was KADER's Eksioglu,
however, who stole the show with her rousing and specific
proposals to the AK Party women to "pressure" party officials
for change. Voting is not enough, she asserted, adding that
being elected and serving in party administration are what
matter.


3. (SBU) Can't Run on your Husband's Money: Eksioglu called
for a campaign outside the party, as well, targeting the
political party law. Asserting that the current role of
parties' women's branches consists of nothing more than
supporting the men in their party to win elections (Comment:
From what we've observed of AKP politics, she is right on the
mark. End Comment),she urged that existing legislation be
amended to allow party women's branches to raise and allocate
money specifically for female candidates. While the AK Party
Women's Branch moderator of the panel was subdued, the
audience received Eksioglu's remarks with enthusiastic
applause.


4. (SBU) "Proper Attitude and Language": The moderator
intervened as Eksioglu concluded, saying while she agreed
with the points, a non-aggressive approach would likely be
more effective within her party. A softer tone would go
further, she continued, as women's branch members must
continue to cooperate with their male colleagues. Panelist
Satir agreed. To Eksioglu, she said, "You may not be a
politician, but I am," and went on to express her
appreciation for the support she'd received from party
leadership as the panel concluded. Istanbul Mayor Kadir
Topbas, who had arrived in the midst of Eksioglu's call to
action, offered closing remarks, getting a dig in by joking
that he had volunteered to send "just" his wife, due to his
busy schedule, but was told that wasn't enough.


5. (SBU) Comment: The AKP remains a party in which women
play a largely ancillary part, doing much of the grassroots
spade work, but so far getting no real leadership or decision
making roles. However, in contrast to earlier meetings we've
observed of AK Party Women's Branches in southeast Turkey,
this event was dominated by the Women's Branch, rather than
by male party administrators. A few of the participants
might have considered Eksioglu's speech provocative and her
approach too feminist, but the group appeared to warm to her
essential message. At the post-program reception, we
discussed an upcoming IV program for Branch VP for Foreign
Relations Mutlu Alkan, and also learned of the Women's
Branch's plans to create a "Training Academy" for AK Party
women candidates in preparation for the next elections. They
asked how PAS programming might be able to assist; we will
explore with them options for supporting women in politics.
JONES