Communiqué on Coalition of Five Republican Parties and Organizations for a “Secular Democratic System in Iran”
We, the undersigned five republican parties and organizations, hereby, declare that the Iranian republicans have taken one-step further in the direction of a stronger form of alliance. These parties and organizations have been cooperating closely in last years and have taken common standpoints on the important political issues in Iran. As the social movement known with the slogan “Women, Life and Freedom” continues and the moving from the current regime, Islamic Republic, to a legitimate and democratic system is inevitable, we have elevated our present organizational status to a more consolidated stage and have formed a Coalition for a Secular and Democratic Republic in Iran.
To realize this goal, these five political parties and organizations have formed the coalition and published its fundamental principles under the title of “Coalition views” which will be presented in a press conference by the end of March 2023.
Secretariat of the Coalition for Secular, Democratic Republic
Contact data:
E-mail: Hamgamijds@gmail.com
Tel. 0049-15906605517
The Standpoints of “Coalition for a Secular, Democratic Republic in Iran”
on the Political Situation in the Country and the Movement of Women, Life and Freedom
Our country, Iran, has been facing a deep, chronic and multifaceted crisis for decades, which is the consequence of the intertwining of the economic, political, social, cultural and environmental problems, and has turned into a mega-crisis. The Islamic Republic, which is facing a crisis of legitimacy, inefficiency, challenges of internal bickering, widespread dissatisfaction of the people, is the root cause of this mega-crisis, a crisis that will be catastrophic and put the country in danger with widespread poverty, growing unemployment, growing gap between reach and poor, the uncontrolled inflation and the suspension of the nuclear deal (JCPOA) with its consequences.
Widespread corruption has permeated all organs of the government. Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic continues to maintain its rule relying on its armed and security forces, intelligence and publicity organs with a very limited social base and brutally suppressing every kind of protest and social movement for change and freedom.
Apart from the growing internal political, social and economic problems, the Islamic Republic grapples with severe international pressures and paralyzing economic sanctions. Hostile relations between Iran and the U.S and its regional allies, on the one part and the adventuristic, interventionist policy of the Islamic Republic towards other countries, supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine and the brutal repression of the protests inside the country, on the other, have all helped in ever growing isolation of the Islamic Republic in the world.
On the background of numerous social cracks, the structural crises and the persistent social-political movements and the massive protests of December 2017 and November 2019, the Women, Life, Freedom movement took shape. These movements are against discrimination, humiliation and trampling of the human dignity of citizens, especially that of women and the regime’s campaign against modern way of life. The movement of Women, Life and Freedom spread throughout the country and involved different social layers and strata, strengthened the bond among the Iranian ethnic groups and heightened national solidarity. It also activated the Iranians overseas and stimulated broad international solidarity with the movement.
This movement in which women and the youth play a pivotal role has taken a leap for a change in social-political values. It campaigns against the deterring and antiquated values and norms and is bent on altering obsolete family structure, the relationship between the society and power, relationships between different social groups and relationship with the world in general. The movement aims at making good for the unfinished social-political renovation of the last two centuries in Iran.
The revolutionary movement of Women, life and freedom was active in the streets and universities several months despite widespread repression, imprisonments, tortures and executions. It brought severe blows to the authority and prestige of the Islamic Republic inside and outside Iran. People are no more afraid of repression. The subsidence of the protest actions in the streets and universities does not mean that the movement has been faded. The movement’s potential is high and protest actions in the universities continue in the form of civil disobedience. The process of self-organization is speeding up and the coalition of trade unions and civil society groups is taking shape.
With the formation of revolutionary movement, our country has entered into a great paradigmatic change. This movement has left far-reaching effects in the thoughts, politics, culture and psychology of the Iranian people. There is no doubt that our country will not go
back to the situation prior to the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 and it would not be possible to imagine an Iran without the effect and influence of this revolutionary movement.
In addition, the movement of Women, life and freedom has smoothed the path for the alliance of the political forces who aim at structural changes, securing freedom and establishment of democracy. The democratic and secular republicans have found an opportunity to go further and present their program for democracy and sovereignty of the people of Iran.
After years of negotiation and exchange of view and experiences and in solidarity with the Women, Life and Freedom movement, the undersigned five political parties and organizations, have now decided to form a “Coalition for a Secular, Democratic Republic in Iran”. The commencement of the activity of this Coalition is a step forward to the creation and strengthening of a republican weight in the political arena of Iran.
In the meantime, we are ready to accept in our ranks other republican factions. We are committed to maintain dialogue and exchange of views with other political currents based on democratic principles, commitment to pluralism, political competition, and free expression of ideas and the verdict of ballot box.
The political forces signing this document emphasize the importance of connectedness of different generations of political activists in order to ensure the most productive outcome of the united performance of the democratic, secular republican forces as well as their effective involvement in the current developments in Iran. We believe that passage from the current intertwined problems of our country is possible by a non-violent transition from the Islamic Republic to a democratic, secular republican political structure, separation of religion and state, their institutional independence from each other and a system of government based on free expression and the will of the citizens.
United Republicans of Iran,
Iranian National Front-Europe,
The Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaian),
Iran National Front-Organizations Abroad e. V.,
Union for Secular Republic and Human Rights in Iran (USRHR)
09 March 2023
