EMEP was founded about a year ago by working people. EMEP sees itself as a party of working people, which not only speaks in their name, but in which the working people directly determine the policies of the party.
Before the founding of the party, the program was discussed in many meetings in factories, districts and schools. The founding members are in the majority workers and employees. After the party had been organized in more than 50 provincial towns and in many county towns, it prepared for its first party congress. In the last week full membership meetings have taken place in the provincial towns, at which delegates for the party congress and the heads of the local organizations were elected. On August 16 and 17, 1997, provincial party congresses took place in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Zonguldak, Bursa, Tekirdag, Samsun, Elazig and Osmaniye.
It is noteworthy that, particularly in the large cities, the participation of workers, trade unionists, employees, students and women was numerous. These party congresses have also shown that EMEP is really a party of the working people. Unlike other parties, the speakers were not prominent personalities, state employees, state presidents, military representatives, etc.The party congresses provided a platform for those deprived of rights, for the oppressed and exploited, in which they could freely express their opinions. There were present not only delegates, but also many guests from trade unions, representatives of other democratic associations and parties and of course many interested people and sympathizers. The small party congresses in many towns have also shown, among other things, that EMEP is not only in words but also in deeds a party of the working people. The composition of the Istanbul party delegates makes this fact clear: out of 326 delegates there are 237 workers.
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