28/11/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
Turkey's main opposition party CHP, vows to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in recently adopted party program.
Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) unanimously adopted a comprehensive new party program on the first day of its 39th Ordinary Congress, formally committing to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Delegates gathered at the Ankara Arena under the banner "Now is the Time for Power" to vote on the overhaul of the party's core policy document. While the first day of the congress was closed to the general public, the hall was decorated with posters of currently imprisoned mayors and banners reading "Justice First, Freedom First."
Unanimous Approval for Inclusive Policies
The newly adopted program outlines the party’s roadmap across key pillars including Democracy, Justice, Development, and National Security. A significant portion of the text focuses on civil liberties, marking a progressive shift in the party's official stance on minority rights.
Under the section titled "Combating Discrimination for Democracy," the program pledges to build a system where "no one is excluded or oppressed due to their age, gender, identity, faith, gender identity, or sexual orientation."
"Ensuring that no citizen feels compelled to hide their identity is our primary priority," the adopted text states, emphasizing that cultural diversity and pluralism must be protected by institutional guarantees.
Commitment to Gender Equality
In the "Gender Equality" chapter, the program invokes the vision of the Turkish Republic's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, promising to remove all barriers to equal participation in public life.
"All forms of discrimination based on gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation will be eliminated," the program declares. It further vows to take concrete steps to ensure equality in access to justice, health, education, and employment.
The adoption of the program marks the beginning of the three-day congress in the capital, Ankara.
Tags: human rights
