Victorious Kurdish MP pledges to tackle state issues in Germany

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish MP from the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) in Germany has pledged to tackle issues facing her state of Schleswig-Holstein after recently emerging victorious in the state's parliamentary elections, she told Rudaw on Friday. 

Seyran Papo won by a landslide over the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the northernmost German state of Schleswig-Holstein, attributing her victory to the Kurds residing in the state who showed her great support.

"The Kurds living in Schleswig-Holstein supported me a lot," she told Rudaw's Hemen Abdulla, saying "the CDU has improved its policy towards foreigners in Schleswig-Holstein," and called on Kurds living in the state to seek membership in the party, which she claims was the only party that supported Kurds during their years-long struggle against the Islamic State (ISIS).

Papo stressed the need for development in her state's capital of Kiel and admits the city has problems with regard to access to housing and lack of women's employment. She explained that during the election cycle, she went "from house to house wanting to know the details of the people's problems."

Kurdish support for Papo in Schleswig-Holstein played a pivotal role in securing her a victory over the SPD's leader, she claims, expressing her gratitude towards those who voted for her. According to the MP, her contestant for the seat had "a lot of voters and he even had a lot of support in Berlin," yet she overcame him.

The CDU in Schleswig-Holstein can now form a government with just one more outsider MP due to their election success, securing 34 seats. Papo said they are in talks with the Green Party to form a government, a process that could take several weeks.
 

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