Will Kurdish parties join forces in Turkey's local elections?
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has begun an initiative to bring together Kurdish political parties in Turkey with the hope of building an alliance for the upcoming local elections.
The conference, sponsored by the HDP, was held to explore democratic solutions to Middle East issues, including the Kurdish question in Turkey.
Later, Buldan attended a dinner with a number of Kurdish political parties and groups in Diyarbakir – considered by Kurds as the capital of northern part of Greater Kurdistan.
The HDP has reportedly sent an invitation to most of Turkey’s Kurdish parties urging them to convene to discuss joining forces electorally.
Mesud Tek, head of the Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK), told Rudaw their door is open for discussion about a Kurdish alliance, “but it has to be planned and based on a democratic basis”.
“We have stated that our door is, and has to be, open to any sort of dialogue and negotiation because it is part of the nature of politics … However, we prefer non-dialogue approach to a lame dialogue which is full of issues and disputes.”
Turkey’s electoral commission announced last week it will hold local elections on March 31 as scheduled.
Parties are now preparing to strike deals and re-organize their members.
In Turkey’s June 24 parliamentary election, the HDP came a distant third, securing 5,867,302 votes (11.70 percent), giving them 67 seats. Its presidential candidate, Selahattin Demirtas, who ran for election from his prison cell where he is being held on terrorism charges, secured 8.40 percent of the vote.
The HDP and Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), may be open to some kind of alliance in some provinces.
Hakki Saruhan Oluc, spokesperson for the HDP, told a press conference the part has not made any agreements with the Turkish opposition, but “we think that we need a democratic agreement with CHP in the western provinces.”
“Hegemonic forces come together, so why do Kurds not come together? I think we have to discuss this issue,” Pervin Buldan, co-chair of HDP, told a conference in Diyarbakir on Saturday.
The conference, sponsored by the HDP, was held to explore democratic solutions to Middle East issues, including the Kurdish question in Turkey.
Later, Buldan attended a dinner with a number of Kurdish political parties and groups in Diyarbakir – considered by Kurds as the capital of northern part of Greater Kurdistan.
The HDP has reportedly sent an invitation to most of Turkey’s Kurdish parties urging them to convene to discuss joining forces electorally.
Mesud Tek, head of the Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK), told Rudaw their door is open for discussion about a Kurdish alliance, “but it has to be planned and based on a democratic basis”.
“We have stated that our door is, and has to be, open to any sort of dialogue and negotiation because it is part of the nature of politics … However, we prefer non-dialogue approach to a lame dialogue which is full of issues and disputes.”
Turkey’s electoral commission announced last week it will hold local elections on March 31 as scheduled.
Parties are now preparing to strike deals and re-organize their members.
In Turkey’s June 24 parliamentary election, the HDP came a distant third, securing 5,867,302 votes (11.70 percent), giving them 67 seats. Its presidential candidate, Selahattin Demirtas, who ran for election from his prison cell where he is being held on terrorism charges, secured 8.40 percent of the vote.
The HDP and Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), may be open to some kind of alliance in some provinces.
Hakki Saruhan Oluc, spokesperson for the HDP, told a press conference the part has not made any agreements with the Turkish opposition, but “we think that we need a democratic agreement with CHP in the western provinces.”