Left Party (Turkey)

The Left Party (Turkish: Sol Parti, often written as SOL Parti) is a secular, socialist political party in Turkey. The Party was founded after Freedom and Solidarity Party (Turkish: Özgürlük ve Dayanışma Partisi – ÖDP) decided to change its name as the Left Party at the 8th Extraordinary Congress held in Ankara on December 22, 2019.

Although after the foundation the leadership of the Left Party did not completely rule out the legacy of its predecessor (ÖDP), which was more inclined to libertarian socialism and political pluralism ideologically, the party tends to differentiate itself from the past. It now adheres to the guiding principles of socialist politics (including public ownership, social justice, and equality), embraces the ideas and historical achievements of Marxist and left-wing revolutionary tradition in Turkey (more specifically the party cadres consisted of former militants and sympathizers of radical-left Devrimci Yol movement in the 1970s), and included the elements of left-wing populism in its manifesto.

In retrospect, neither the Left Party nor its predecessor ÖDP demonstrated significant electoral success in Turkey. The party has never been able to achieve a vote share of 1%, remaining far below Turkey's 10 percent national election threshold. Thus, it did not have any opportunity to be represented in the parliament as a party. However, the party launched and carried out several political campaigns to build extra-parliamentary opposition in Turkey, often together with other left-wing groups and parties, civil society organizations and trade unions. Also, in different local elections, it had minor achievements in places like Hopa. Today, the Left Party has no single leader. Instead, it is ruled by the Board of Presidents consisting of four members (including Önder İşleyen [official leader], Pelin Bektaş, Çiçek Çatalkaya and İlknur Başer).

The party is a member of the Party of the European Left and, up until July 2022, was nationally affiliated with the United June Movement when it was announced, in a press conference in Ankara, that the party along with the Communist Party of Turkey, the Revolutionary Movement and the Communist Movement of Turkey would form a coalition for the 2023 national election, called the Union of Socialist Forces.