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Viewing cable 05ISTANBUL2110, ISTANBUL'S AK PARTY WOMEN: GETTING (RELATIVELY)

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05ISTANBUL2110 2005-12-14 08:48 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Istanbul
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ISTANBUL 002110 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV TU POLITICAL PARTIES
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL'S AK PARTY WOMEN:  GETTING (RELATIVELY) 
FIRED UP 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified -- not for internet distribution. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  Turkey's ruling Justice and Development 
Party (AKP) Istanbul Women's Branch celebrated the 71st 
anniversary of women's suffrage in Turkey December 5 with a 
panel discussion focused on expanding the role of women in 
politics.  AKP remains a party in which women do the 
grassroots work necessary to win elections, but still have no 
real leadership or decision making roles.  However, one NGO 
panelist urged the audience to "pressure" party officials for 
change, adding that being elected and serving in party 
administration are what count most, and calling for changes 
to the political party law to allow women's branches of 
parties to control funds specifically for women candidates. 
The audience responded enthusiastically.  A more subdued 
panel moderator suggested a softer tone might be more 
effective in pushing the women's agenda within the party. 
End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) Standing room only:  AKP MP Burhan Kuzu, AKP 
Istanbul Municipal Assembly member Belma Satir, and KADER 
President Seyhan Eksioglu participated as panelists at the 
event, held in a packed meeting room at a downtown hotel. 
(Note:  KADER is a nonpartisan NGO devoted to training women 
candidates in Turkey.  End note.)  Kuzu and Satir explored 
themes ranging from a comparative history of suffrage 
movements, to statistics about women's political 
representation in Turkey and other European countries, and 
the pros and cons of quota systems.  It was KADER's Eksioglu, 
however, who stole the show with her rousing and specific 
proposals to the AK Party women to "pressure" party officials 
for change.  Voting is not enough, she asserted, adding that 
being elected and serving in party administration are what 
matter. 
 
3.  (SBU) Can't Run on your Husband's Money:  Eksioglu called 
for a campaign outside the party, as well, targeting the 
political party law.  Asserting that the current role of 
parties' women's branches consists of nothing more than 
supporting the men in their party to win elections (Comment: 
From what we've observed of AKP politics, she is right on the 
mark.  End Comment), she urged that existing legislation be 
amended to allow party women's branches to raise and allocate 
money specifically for female candidates.  While the AK Party 
Women's Branch moderator of the panel was subdued, the 
audience received Eksioglu's remarks with enthusiastic 
applause. 
 
4.  (SBU)  "Proper Attitude and Language":  The moderator 
intervened as Eksioglu concluded, saying while she agreed 
with the points, a non-aggressive approach would likely be 
more effective within her party.  A softer tone would go 
further, she continued, as women's branch members must 
continue to cooperate with their male colleagues.  Panelist 
Satir agreed.  To Eksioglu, she said, "You may not be a 
politician, but I am," and went on to express her 
appreciation for the support she'd received from party 
leadership as the panel concluded.  Istanbul Mayor Kadir 
Topbas, who had arrived in the midst of Eksioglu's call to 
action, offered closing remarks, getting a dig in by joking 
that he had volunteered to send "just" his wife, due to his 
busy schedule, but was told that wasn't enough. 
 
5.  (SBU) Comment:  The AKP remains a party in which women 
play a largely ancillary part, doing much of the grassroots 
spade work, but so far getting no real leadership or decision 
making roles.  However, in contrast to earlier meetings we've 
observed of AK Party Women's Branches in southeast Turkey, 
this event was dominated by the Women's Branch, rather than 
by male party administrators.  A few of the participants 
might have considered Eksioglu's speech provocative and her 
approach too feminist, but the group appeared to warm to her 
essential message.  At the post-program reception, we 
discussed an upcoming IV program for Branch VP for Foreign 
Relations Mutlu Alkan, and also learned of the Women's 
Branch's plans to create a "Training Academy" for AK Party 
women candidates in preparation for the next elections.  They 
asked how PAS programming might be able to assist; we will 
explore with them options for supporting women in politics. 
JONES