2017 Turkish constitutional referendum 'No' campaign


The 2017 Turkish constitutional referendum 'No' campaign refers to a series of political campaigns led by political parties, organisations and media outlets in favour of a 'No' vote in the 2017 Turkish constitutional referendum. If the campaign is successful, it will result in Turkey remaining a parliamentary republic as opposed to an executive presidency and would constitute the first direct upset against the governing Justice and Development Party since they took office in 2002.
'No' campaigners have faced alleged government-backed coercion and suppression. On 1 March, the main opposition Republican People's Party unveiled a 78-point report regarding irregularities and suppression of 'No' campaigners, with Deputy Leader Öztürk Yılmaz claiming that those who were campaigning for a 'No' vote faced fear and state coercion. CHP parliamentary group leader Engin Altay also criticised the government for using state funds to fund the 'Yes' campaign while repressing 'No' voters, claiming that their conduct did not allow them to talk of 'democracy'.
A 'No' vote is favoured by the main opposition CHP and the smaller opposition Peoples' Democratic Party. Over 40 smaller political parties are also in favour of a 'No' vote, as well as a significant number of Nationalist Movement Party politicians and voters who oppose their executive's call for a 'Yes' vote. The main rivals to the 'No' campaign, which does not have a centralised or united structure, are those who are conducting a 'Yes' campaign.
The 'No' option on the ballot paper used for the referendum is coloured in a.

Supporters

Political parties

The following political parties have favoured a 'No' vote.

Organisations

The following organisations favour a 'No' vote.
NGOTypePolitical orientationRef.
Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects Trade unionCentre-left
Turkish Medical Association Medical unionCentre-left
MHP DissidentsIntra-party oppositionNationalism
BBP DissidentsIntra-party oppositionFar-right
Confederation of Public Workers' Unions of Turkey Trade unionCentre-right
Confederation of Public Workers' Unions Trade unionLeft-wing
Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Trade unionLeft-wing
United Confederation of Public Employees' Unions Trade unionKemalism
Atatürkist Thought Association Kemalism
Youth Union of Turkey Youth organisationKemalism
Republican Women's Association Women organizationKemalism
Retired Military Officers Association of Turkey Military veterans organizationKemalism
Artists' Union of Turkey Art organizationKemalism
Artists' InitiativeArt organizationLeft-wing
Turkish Law InstitutionInstitutionKemalism
National Constitution MovementThink tankKemalism
Intellectuals' HearthNationalism
Confederation of Turkish Tribes Nationalism
Social Thought Association Nationalism
Turkish LeftMagazineThird Position

Republican People's Party (CHP) campaign

The Republican People's Party held a pre-campaign rally in Adana on 3 December 2016, titled 'We will not partition Turkey'. The rally was also supported by Idealists, who traditionally support the MHP. The CHP parliamentary group voted against the proposals in Parliament but was unable to block their approval. On 15 February 2017, it was announced that the CHP wouldn't refer the voting process, which had been marred by unconstitutional open voting by AKP MPs, to the Constitutional Court, claiming that they believed that voters would reject the proposals at the ballot box.
On 6 February, the CHP unveiled a 10-article booklet detailing the reasons why they supported a 'No' vote, with the 10 key points being opposition to a 'one-man regime', a party state, the end of powers of Parliament, a government without scrutiny, a biased judiciary, en economic crisis, terrorism, the erosion of fundamental and universal values, to partitioning Turkey and an 'elected monarchy'. This followed on from a 21 December 2016 publication released by CHP Deputy Leader Bülent Tezcan, containing 35 questions and answers about the proposed presidential system.
On 28 February, the CHP unveiled their campaign, under the slogan ‘Geleceğim İçin Hayır’ . It was stated that party logos would not be used during the campaign. The party also unveiled its first official campaign rally to be at Amasya, though one of the party's dissident MPs Muharrem İnce held a rally at Alaplı, Zonguldak Province on 8 March. Also on 8 March International Women's Day, the CHP Women's Wing in İzmir held an event where participants spelled out the word 'No' with their bodies, with the scene captured by helicopter. The event was also attended by party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's wife Selvi and Deputy Leader Selin Sayek Böke.
Many CHP MPs began visiting different areas of Turkey and Turkish expats abroad in order to gather support for a 'No' vote soon after the referendum date was announced. The party's former leader Deniz Baykal attended an event in France while İstanbul Member of Parliament Sezgin Tanrıkulu and parliamentary group leader Özgür Özel led a group of MPs to Diyarbakır where the party has no representation.
At the start of the campaign, party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu reportedly asked the party's officials to conduct the 'No' campaign on a purely positive basis, refraining from using a negative or alienating discourse. It was also reported that the CHP were getting ready to make a campaign film similar to the 'No' campaign for the Chilean national plebiscite of 1988, which resulted in a victory for the 'No' side and an eventual end to the regime of Augusto Pinochet.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) campaign