The Left Party of France (Parti de Gauche) released a statement regarding the AKP government’s illegal seizure of HDP-run municipalities in Amed, Mardin and Van on August 19, replacement of democratically elected mayors by the governors appointed by the state and the arrest of hundreds of HDP members and activists in the scope of the same operation.

The statement said; “Following his defeat in the municipal elections, Erdoğan denies democracy and the will of the people, just like the campaign he run to remove HDP’s Kurdish mayors from office in 2016.”

The statement highlighted that; “The radical right AKP-MHP regime is currently facing a deadlock, unable to deal with the economic crisis. While the regime lost its legitimacy with the local elections, in which it lost Ankara, Istanbul and many other cities, it now pursues a policy to get away with its problems by attacking Kurds and supporting jihadists in Syria.”

The Left Party urged the French government to take necessary measures at European level for sanctions against Erdoğan who does not comply with fundamental democratic principles.