HEDEP spokesperson Aysegul Dogan told reporters that the Court of Cessation objected to its acronym on the grounds that it resembles the People’s Democracy Party (HADEP) - another pro-Kurdish party that was founded in 1994 and dissolved by the Constitutional Court nine years later for its alleged ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Dogan said they do not want to be sidetracked with any complications as local elections, set for March, are nearing and have decided to change the acronym. Several possibilities are being considered.
HEDEP evolved out of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). In the most recent general election, held in May, HDP fielded candidates under the umbrella of the new Green Left Party because it was facing the threat of closure. Last month, the Green Left Party changed its name to HEDEP.
Dogan stated that the court does not have any objections with the new name of the party.
On May 14, Turkey held parliamentary and presidential elections in which the HDP secured 61 of the 600 seats in the legislature, six fewer than their result in the 2018 poll. The party was criticized for endorsing opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the presidential election and not running a purely pro-Kurdish campaign. Following their poor performance, the party opted to hold a congress.
In June, party co-chairs Mithat Sancar and Pervin Buldan stepped down and last month, Tulay Hatimogullari and Tuncer Bakirhan were elected co-chairs of the HEDEP.
