Party of Friendship, Equality and Peace

The Party of Friendship, Equality and Peace (Greek: Κόμμα Ισότητας, Ειρήνης και Φιλίας, abbr. Κ.Ι.Ε.Φ., KIEF; Turkish: Dostluk-Eşitlik-Barış Partisi, DEBP) is a Greek ethnic party founded to represent the interests of Turks of Western Thrace.

Overview

The party was created on 13 September 1991 by Sadik Achmet, who presided over it until his death in 1995. Achmet was succeeded by his widow Isik Achmet (Işık Ahmet) who led until 1999. The party was then led by Achmet Chatziosman until 2007 when Chatziosman was elected member of the Greek Parliament for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). The next chairman, Moustafa Bosnak, was replaced in July 2010 by Moustafa Ali Tsavous. Achmet Chatziosman was elected in 2002 and 2006 for the Rhodope Prefecture on a common PASOK-Synaspismós list and was vice-prefect from 2002 to 2007.

The 5th Ordinary General Congress of the party took place on 5 January 2019 at the Party Headquarters. Tsidem Asafoglou, the only candidate in the congress that took place in the party's headquarters, was elected as the new party president.

For the 2024 European elections, the party has one candidate representing the ethnic Macedonian minority in Greece, Eugenia Natsoulidou.

Notable members

• Sadik Achmet
• Xasan Patsaman
• Ismail Molla
• Achmet Faikoglou
• Achmet Chatziosman
• Tsetin Mantatzi
• Galip Galip

Electoral results

Hellenic Parliament

European Parliament

Although unable to send MEPs due to 3% national threshold, DEB emerged as the first party in Xanthi and Rhodope regional units in both 2014 and 2019 European elections, drawing attention. In 2019 elections, DEB received 38% of the votes in Rhodope regional unit and 25.24% of the votes in Xanthi regional unit. DEB also received 1.30% of the votes in Evros regional unit. While in the overall region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the party came in as the 3rd biggest party after top 2 national parties New Democracy and Syriza. Other regions outside Eastern Macedonia and Thrace where votes were cast for DEB were listed as Dodecanese, Thessaloniki, and Athens.

Other Turkish minority parties in South-Eastern Europe

• Movement for Rights and Freedoms (Bulgaria)
• Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo (Kosovo)
• Democratic Party of Turks (Republic of North Macedonia)
• Democratic Turkish Union of Romania (Romania)

References

1. Sadik Achmet
2. Tsigdem Asafoglou
3. 2024 European Parliament election in Greece
4. Turks of Western Thrace
5. 2019 European Parliament election in Greece
6. Ahmet Hacıosman
7. List of centrist political parties
8. Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
9. Indo-Bangla Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace
10. Xanthi
11. List of minority political parties
12. Federal Union of European Nationalities
13. List of political parties in Greece
14. European Free Alliance
15. Liberté, égalité, fraternité
16. Elections in Greece
17. Rainbow (Greece)
18. Turks in Europe
19. 2014 European Parliament election in Greece
20. Sino-Nepalese Treaty of Peace and Friendship