DEMOCRATIC PARTY: NEW ISTANBUL CHAIRMAN, SAME OLD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000065 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE TU SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC PARTY: NEW ISTANBUL CHAIRMAN, SAME OLD MESSAGE REF: 09 ANKARA 1696 ISTANBUL 00000065 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Newly-elected Istanbul Democratic Party (DP) Chairman H. Tekin Enerem described his party, which has recently emerged from its merger with ANAP and completed its provincial congress, as poised to take a leading role in government following upcoming general elections, scheduled to be held in 2011. Enerem expects early elections to be held later this year and criticized the government's handling of the National Unity Project and the economy, commenting that he anticipates the DP will attract votes from former AKP and CHP supporters. Enerem's diverse leadership board delivered a carefully crafted pro-U.S. message and underscored its commitment to representing Turkey's minority groups and women. Recent poll results still show the DP trailing even Saadet and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) at under four percent, however, so the leadership's big talk will need action behind it if the party is to stand a chance in upcoming elections. End Summary. The New(ish) Face of the Istanbul DP -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On February 11, newly-elected Istanbul Chairman of the DP Enerem paid a courtesy call on the Istanbul Consul General. He was accompanied by Deputy Chairman for Media and Public Relations Selay Tozkoparan, Deputy Chairman Erkan Selah, Secretary General Haluk Bozovali, Press Advisor Okan Sarikaya, Sisli Municipality Board Member Vasil Karakas and Board Member Garbis Cam. Enerem, who did most of the talking, described the DP's positions to the CG and offered wide-reaching criticism of the current Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. ¶3. (SBU) Enerem described the DP as open to everyone and as representing Turkey's various communities. The DP has representatives from the Jewish, Armenian, Greek, and Alevi constituencies, according to Enerem, whose team included an ethnic Greek (Karakas) and an ethnic Armenian (Cam). Karakas said that there is "secret discrimination" in today's Turkey against anyone who is not pro-AKP and especially against minorities; he commented that as an anti-AKP minority it had become impossible to do business with the government or to win tenders and said that businessmen are afraid to make contributions to other parties. Enerem also voiced his support for women's issues and a quota system for women in �0A;politics, and noted that five out of 39 Istanbul district chairs in the DP are women. He criticized AKP's leadership specifically on the National Unity Project and economic issues, and noted that the DP's policies (unspecified) on these issues would distinguish the party from AKP. ¶4. (SBU) The DP is expecting an early general election to be held this year, "maybe after Ramadan," citing undisclosed sources within Prime Minister Erdogan's circle. Enerem says the DP is confident it will pass the parliamentary 10 percent threshold and said that it is hard to imagine a limit to the DP's success once that threshold is passed. DP anticipates its new votes will come from former AKP supporters due to the limited support for Islamist parties in Turkey; Enerem claimed that DP lost votes to AKP formerly but will get them back. DP also expects votes from anti-Baykal former CHP supporters but not from the MHP electorate. DP's entrance into the parliament will usher in a new era of "balance." Playing the Pro-U.S. Card -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Enerem noted the DP's long history of "cooperation and friendship" with the U.S. and underscored his belief in the importance of this relationship. He said that he hoped for even greater cooperation on regional and international issues. Deputy Chairman for Media Tozkoparan added that the DP would not lead Turkey into "Islamic rule," and she noted that the DP was committed to secular government. Enerem also noted his party's support for judicial reform and a new constitution, criticizing Erdogan as an autocrat who personally makes all of the government's decisions with no regard for democracy. Biographic Note -------------- ISTANBUL 00000065 002.2 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) Enerem was born in 1961 and was educated at Istanbul's German High School (Alman Lisesi) and Istanbul Technical University, where he received degree in the Construction and General Sciences Faculty in civil engineering. He began his political career in the True Path Party (Dogru Yol Partisi or DYP)-an earlier rendition of today's DP-where he was the Istanbul Vice Chairman for Women and Youth, Social and Organizational Works in the 4th Provincial Chairman term and also served in the provincial secretariat. In 1995 he became DYP Istanbul Chairman and was later elected to be a member of parliament, where he served on the committees for Foreign Relations, Planning and Budget and a parliamentary commission on Turkey and the European Union. Outside of politics, he has worked in various sectors and companies and served as the Yeditepe University General Secretary. According to his CV, he speaks German and English. Comment -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Enerem's visit reflects the DP's continuing efforts to reach out to us and promote their party's agenda as pro-Western and reflecting the concerns of Turkey's voters. SONAR poll results from January, however, show the DP as the favorite of just 3.89 percent of respondents, down from 4.13 percent in December. Although the DP-ANAP merger initially seemed to brighten the prospects for both parties, that luster dimmed quickly and today the combined party still polls at well under the national threshold, which bodes poorly for DP's chances in the next election. WIENER