CHP’s new targets: Contemporary social-democrat principles like human rights, freedoms and gender equality
The CHP’s amended statute, reflecting the party’s new vision under Kılıçdaroğlu, defines the party’s primary aim as the advocacy of contemporary social-democrat principles such as human rights, freedoms, labor rights and gender equality.
Under the changes, approved at a stormy convention over the weekend, the old statute’s top principle – the “defense of the country’s national unity and security” – was moved down in the list.The CHP was defined as a “modern democratic left party based on the principles of human rights and pluralist and inclusive democracy, which believes in gender equality and sees the state as a means of service to ensure the freedoms and prosperity of individuals.”
New elements: New elements in the party’s objectives included “a state based on the rule of law, the separation of powers and impartial judiciary,” “struggling against all kinds of discrimination and solidarity with people who are subjected to such treatment” and “ensuring an environment in which people can co-habitate while preserving their cultural differences, taking into account that these differences constitute richness.”
Other prominent changes include reducing the percentage of party delegates who can nominate a chairmanship candidate at election conventions from 20 to 10, and removing a provision requiring them to sign their proposals before the convention board.
The statute defined the holding of primary elections to select the party’s candidates for parliamentary polls as a “priority” method, even though the Party Assembly retained authority to decide whether candidates in a given constituency would be selected through primary elections or directly by the party leadership.
Forty percent of the Treasury assistance the party receives would be allocated to its provincial and district branches.Members of party organs at provincial or district congresses would be elected from open lists, but block-list elections could also be held if the proposal is made by 10 percent of delegates and then approved by simple majority.
In a bid to retain his grip on the restless party, Kılıçdaroğlu kept a provision introduced under his predecessor Deniz Baykal that would allow him to personally determine the make-up of the Central Administration Board, rather than letting the Party Assembly elect its members.
28.02.2012
SOURCE: HDN
