HDP will contribute to a new AKP defeat in Istanbul

The HDP did not nominate candidates in Istanbul on 31 March, which contributed to the AKP-MHP alliance to lose the elections. 

The HDP is keeping the same strategy in this forced new election and is carrying out election activities in all boroughs of Istanbul. 

In particular the co-chairs of the party, Sezai Temelli and Pervin Buldan, will attend public meetings until the end of the campaign.

Peoples Democratic Congress (HDK) Koray Türkay, 1st Regional co-spokesperson, told ANF about the activities and strategy of HDP.

Coup against election results

Türkay said that the decision of the YSK (Supreme Election Board) on 6 May [to announce a new election for Istanbul] was prompted by the AKP failure to accept having lost the election. In fact, he said, the decision to run the election again was a coup against the results. Türkay added that the will of the people was in fact being usurped by the YSK.

Türkay said that a justice and democracy front was created to counter such a coup and added: “Of course, the most important actor of this democracy bloc is HDP. It is indisputable its struggle in the name of democracy and the costs it has paid. ”

HDP policy model

The HDP, continued Türkay “is very experienced when it comes to usurpation. We have witnessed the usurpation of elected mayors in Kurdistan by mean of coup usurping the will of the people in Kurdistan.” 

Türkay, who thinks that the HDP has made the right move when deciding to carry on with its strategy of not running a candidate to the municipal elections, said: “The most important actor in the difficult moments experienced by the AKP and MHP is indeed the HDP. The issue of persuading even its own base not to nominate candidates in the previous election was quite difficult, but Kurdish voters ultimately contributed to the defeat of the AKP-MHP in Istanbul, Mersin, Antalya, Adana and Amed. Therefore, I can say that we are walking towards 23 June with great motivation”.

Independent public meetings

After YSK's announcement of the cancellation of the elections, Türkay underlined the reaction of the people of Istanbul who took to the streets and added that a natural solidarity network was established for the 23 June elections. 

“Public meetings - said Türkay - were held in Kadıköy to begin the election activities under the slogan ‘democracy will win’. This initiative wants to work on a united struggle from an independent position. After the election, local work will continue through a local council. We find local government important. We hope that after 23 June, this union will be able to express itself as a local assembly characterised by unity and where we can implement decentralization, democratic administration and democratic autonomy.”