Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki, deputy co-chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) responsible for Local Administration, said that "the trustee policy is costing the government dearly. The trustees appointed in 2016 were responded to in 2019. Those appointed in 2019 face consequences in 2024. The trustees appointed in 2024 and 2025 will make the government pay an even greater price."

Tiryaki further noted that democracy does not come solely through elections, and that the forces of social opposition must stand together more firmly than ever.

Most recently, the municipality of Kağızman (Qaxizman) district in Kars (Qers), governed by the DEM Party, was seized and a trustee appointed.

Tiryaki told ANF that in the local elections held on 31 March 2024, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost its status as the leading party for the first time. Tiryaki added that the DEM Party’s political strategy played a crucial role in the ruling party losing major metropolitan cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Antalya, Bursa, and Mersin in the 2019 elections.

Tiryaki noted that the key factor causing these losses for the government was the united stance of the opposition. He recalled that immediately after the elections, there was an attempt to seize control of the municipality of Van (Wan), but it was prevented by popular resistance. However, the government continued appointing trustees to municipalities, including those won through broad local consensus. Asked about the government's goal, Tiryaki responded that the trustee policy has caused severe damage to the ruling party. As evidence, he pointed to the public responses to trustees appointed in 2016 reflected in the 2019 elections, and predicted a similar reaction would occur in 2024 against the trustees appointed in 2019. Tiryaki reiterated that trustees appointed in 2024 and 2025 would result in even greater political costs for the government.

Democracy cannot be achieved solely through elections

Tiryaki expressed that responding to the seizure of the people's will by trustees solely through elections is insufficient. He said: "Of course, you cannot bring democracy to a country simply by participating in elections. Democracy is also about struggle. Unfortunately, we cannot claim to be doing very well in this regard. We observe that people still prefer responding primarily through elections rather than direct action."

However, Tiryaki recalled that resistance against trustees continues everywhere, pointing out that increasing numbers of people from all segments of society openly say 'no' to the government's unjust and unlawful policies, demonstrating that silence no longer prevails. Still, he acknowledged that social struggle has not yet compelled the government to retreat from its policies.

The government wants to impose its will through force

Tiryaki referred to assessments suggesting that the AKP and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) share a common approach regarding the current process, and commented: "But there is another dimension to this issue. The government aims to achieve its goals by forcing, threatening, and exerting pressure. Yet, the critical question here is this: As international examples show, peace must gain broad social acceptance. The acceptance and recognition of peace processes by society is vital."

Government actions create suspicion in society

Tiryaki said that due to the government's actions, society views the current discussions with suspicion. He explained the public's stance as follows: "When I speak of suspicion, I mean the public doesn't believe that positive developments can actually happen. People don't trust that the government can take genuine steps. Our people ask us, ‘We don't trust the AKP, why do you?’ On the one hand, they appoint trustees, bomb Kurdish regions, attack Kurdish achievements, and carry out arrests and detentions. Under these circumstances, it's impossible to believe that this government intends to resolve the Kurdish issue through peaceful means."

Describing the government's current stance as a "two-faced policy," Tiryaki emphasized that even if the government does not take positive steps toward a solution, at least it should refrain from actions that undermine peace.

Government aims to exclude opposition from discussions

Tiryaki drew attention to attacks and pressures that primarily target the DEM Party but also extend to all non-AKP segments, emphasizing that growing solidarity among opposition parties has become a target of the government, which seeks to silence and intimidate them.

Asked whether the recent escalation of these attacks was aimed at pulling the Republican People's Party (CHP) out of ongoing political discussions, especially following the CHP's constructive approach to the process discussions initiated by the DEM Party, Tiryaki said: "This might indeed be the government’s intention. You’re right about that. However, I'm not sure whether this has effectively led to such a result. It’s worth emphasizing this point. Has the government succeeded in preventing the opposition from becoming more active and influential in these discussions? That's certainly open to debate. One of the government's aims was undoubtedly this, because an active opposition involved in a potential peace process could significantly challenge the government. Clearly, one objective behind the government's recent actions is to weaken the main opposition party and other opposition parties. But I'm not sure that they have succeeded."

Tiryaki concluded by stating that the AKP is on the path to defeat, and rather than offering society a hopeful future or creating a positive narrative of its own, it prefers to interfere within opposition parties.

The opposition must act together

Tiryaki emphasized the need for the opposition’s common stance to grow stronger, and said: "We have long used the slogan, ‘No salvation alone, either all together or none of us.’ There is no option other than standing together against the government’s attacks." Noting that democracy in Turkey exists only in remnants, Tiryaki underlined the importance of maintaining a unified opposition stance against the trustee policies, and urged opposition groups to remain vigilant against the aggressive policies of the government. He said: "Their attacks against us no longer have any effect, and this is evident to everyone. Despite all the detentions, arrests, attacks, and trustee appointments, the Kurdish people remain steadfast, standing upright and continuing their resistance. They keep showing their reactions in the streets, and rest assured, they continue to gain more friends. While the AKP government creates new opponents each day, our party and our people continue to gain more friends, both within Turkey and internationally."