Liberal Democratic Party (Turkey)

{{Infobox political party

| country = Turkey

| native_name = Liberal Demokrat Parti

| name = Liberal Democratic Party

| abbreviation = LDP

| logo = LDPLogoTransparentNF.png

| logo_size = 200px

| colorcode = {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Turkey)}}

| leader = Gültekin Tırpancı

| general_secretary = Kaan Alper{{Cite web|url=https://www.ldp.org.tr/genel-merkez-teskilati/index.html|title = Genel Merkez Teşkilatı | Liberal Demokrat Parti}}

| slogan = • Özgürlüğümü seviyorum! (I love my freedom!)

• Sana güveniyor! (Believes in you!)

| anthem =

| flag =

| founder = Besim Tibuk

| split =

| foundation = {{start date and age|1994|07|26|df=y}}

| ideology = {{unbulleted list|class=nowrap|style=nowrap|

• Classical liberalism{{cite web|archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727222507/https://www.ldp.org.tr/parti-programi/index.html |title=Toplum Düzeni ve İç Güvenlik |url=https://www.ldp.org.tr/parti-programi/index.html}}{{cite web|archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727222507/https://www.ldp.org.tr/parti-programi/index.html |title=Ekonomi |url=https://www.ldp.org.tr/parti-programi/index.html}}
• Liberal democracy
• Economic liberalism{{cite web|archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727222507/https://www.ldp.org.tr/parti-programi/index.html |title=Yeni Bir Dünya Düzeni |url=https://ldp.org.tr/ekonomi}}
• Pro-Europeanism{{cite web|access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-date=24 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824031126/https://ldp.org.tr/dis-politika |title=Liberal Demokrat Parti - Dış Politika |url=https://ldp.org.tr/dis-politika |url-status=live |website=ldp.org.tr}}

}}

| position = Center{{cite web | url=http://www.ldp.org.tr/parti-tuzugu/|title=Parti Tüzüğü|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727221131/http://www.ldp.org.tr/parti-tuzugu/|archive-date=2021-07-27|url-status=dead}}

| european =

| international =

| colours = {{Color box|#0C4DA2|border=silver}} Blue
{{Color box|#FFFFFF|border=silver}} White

{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Turkey)}}|border=silver}} Dark Blue (customary)

| membership_year = 2025

| youth_wing = Young Dolphins (unofficial){{Cite Twitter profile|gencyunuslarldp}}

| membership = {{decrease}} 3,492{{cite web|url=https://www.yargitaycb.gov.tr/icerik/1153/liberal-demokrat-parti|title=Liberal Demokrat Parti|publisher=Court of Cassation|access-date=3 January 2024|df=mdy-all|language=tr}}

| headquarters = Yüzüncü Yıl Mahallesi No:35/1 Çankaya/Ankara

| website = https://www.ldp.org.tr/

}}

Liberal Democratic Party ({{langx|tr|Liberal Demokrat Parti}}, LDP) is a classical liberal party in Turkey. LDP was founded in 1994 as “Liberal Parti” by Turkish entrepreneur Besim Tibuk. According to data published in January 2024, the party has 3,601 members.

Tibuk was the advisor of Turkish President Turgut Özal until Özal died on 17 April 1993. After the death of Turgut Özal, Besim Tibuk decided to found a new party to emphasize the liberal movement in Turkey. Tibuk first founded the party as "Liberal Party", but following the "1994 Liberal Democratic Party Ordinary Congress" the party's name then changed from the Liberal Party to "Liberal Democratic Party". After the failure of his party in the 2002 general elections, Tibuk resigned on 25 November 2002, leaving his office to Nizam Kağıtçıbaşı,{{Cite web |date=2002-11-30 |title=LDP'de bayrak değişimi |url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/ldpde-bayrak-degisimi-38434741 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=Hürriyet |language=tr}} who only remained 48 days in office and got voted out by Ercan Çalı.{{Cite web |date=2003-01-13 |title=LDP'de Başkan Ercan Çalı |url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/ldp-de-baskan-ercan-cali-38527720 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=Hürriyet |language=tr}} Çalı remained in office for 336 days, before eventually getting replaced by member of the Grand National Assembly Emin Şirin, who had resigned from AKP and joined the Liberal Democratic Party on 14 October 2003 in the party's 1st Extraordinary Congress.{{Cite web |date=2003-12-14 |title=LDP Genel Başkanlığı'na Emin Şirin seçildi... |url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/ldp-genel-baskanligina-emin-sirin-secildi-5133608 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=Milliyet |language=tr}} Later on, Emin Şirin announced his resignation from the chairmanship and party membership on 13 February 2004 due to differences of opinion with the party, and thus, between 14 December 2003 and 13 February 2004, the party was represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly for the first and last time in its history.{{Cite web |date=2004-02-13 |title=Emin Şirin, LDP'den ayrıldı |url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/emin-sirin-ldpden-ayrildi-38568213 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=Hürriyet |language=tr}}{{Cite web |title=Şirin, başkanı olduğu LDP'den istifa etti |url=https://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2004/02/14/siy106.html |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=Sabah}} Hakan Çizem took over the vacant seat to remain chairman of the party until 20 June 2005. Çizem was later voted out by Cem Toker who remained the leader of LDP from 20 June 2005 to 29 January 2017.{{Cite web |date=2017-01-30 |title=Toker'in 'çaresizlik'ten istifa ettiği LDP'nin yeni genel başkanı Gültekin Tırpancı |url=https://www.diken.com.tr/tokerin-caresizlikten-istifa-ettigi-ldpnin-yeni-genel-baskani-gultekin-tirpanci/ |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=Diken |language=tr}} Since then, Gültekin Tırpancı has been the leader of the party. Some of LDP's current political views include reducing government spending and taxes, lowering tax rates, reducing government bureaucracy, abolishing the compulsory General Health Insurance and switching to a voluntary private health insurance system, ending compulsory military service and switching to professional military service.{{Cite web |date= |title=Parti Tüzüğü {{!}} Liberal Demokrat Parti |url=https://ldp.org.tr/parti-tuzugu/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727221131/https://ldp.org.tr/parti-tuzugu/ |archive-date=2021-07-27 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=}}

LDP announced in the following years that there were no youth branches and women's branches in the party due to the principles of not making age and gender discrimination in the administration.{{Cite web |title=2002-01-17 Ldp'den Protesto |url=https://www.ab.gov.tr/24790.html |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=www.ab.gov.tr}}{{Cite web |date=2012-10-27 |title=LDP: Hükümet tutarsız |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/ldp-hukumet-tutarsiz-379308 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=Cumhuriyet |language=tr}} However, the youth group called "Genç Yunuslar" (Young Dolphins) continues to exist even though it is not considered an official organization by LDP. Unlike other parties in Turkish politics, the party uses a humorous language on its official Twitter accounts.

LDP is the first party in Turkey to advocate for the legalization of marijuana.{{Cite web |title=LDP adayı: Bonzainin önüne geçmek için marihuana yasallaştırılsın |url=https://www.birgun.net/haber/ldp-adayi-bonzainin-onune-gecmek-icin-marihuana-yasallastirilsin-81480 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=BirGün |language=Turkish}}