Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has emerged as a crucial factor in the country's upcoming election, with its decision not to field a presidential candidate potentially tipping the balance in favor of main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The HDP's move allows its supporters to vote for Erdogan’s main rival, and analysts say it is the kingmaker in the elections.
Erdogan has been cracking down on the party after it began chipping away at his voter base, with former leader Selahattin Demirtas in prison for nearly seven years. The party faces possible closure by a court for suspected collusion with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and affiliated groups. However, its influence may determine the course of Turkey's politics.
The HDP's decision not to field a candidate came just three days after head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kilicdaroglu, visited the party's co-chairs. He told reporters that the solution to Turkey's problems, “including the Kurdish problem” lies in parliament.
Kilicdaroglu is the strongest contender to run against Erdogan in years, and while the HDP hasn't yet announced whether it will put its weight behind him, analysts say it is crucial for his chances. The HDP knows that its position is key to the outcome of next month's vote, but that it’s also in a delicate situation.
"We want to play the game wisely, and we need to be very careful," said Hisyar Ozsoy, deputy co-chair of the HDP and a member of parliament from the predominantly Kurdish province of Diyarbakir. “We are not going to have our own candidate, and we will leave it to the international community to interpret it the way they wish."
The accusations against the HDP place it in a precarious position during the elections. It currently faces a case in Turkey’s Constitutional Court over suspected ties to the PKK, which is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
Kurds are the biggest minority in Turkey, making up between 15% and 20% of the population, according to Minority Rights Group International. It's unclear if the HDP will endorse Kilicdaroglu, but analysts say that the deliberate distance may be beneficial for the opposition candidate.
The party was founded in 2012 as an opposition force in Turkey's parliament and has won seats in nearly every election since then. The HDP has become a powerful force in Turkish politics, with many of its members serving in parliament. However, the party faces significant challenges in the upcoming election, including allegations of ties to the PKK.
The HDP's decision not to field a candidate is seen as a strategic move to ensure that Kilicdaroglu's chances of winning are maximized. By doing so, the party is also attempting to distance itself from allegations of ties to the PKK and other militant groups.
As the election approaches, Turkey remains deeply divided along ethnic and sectarian lines. The country has struggled with tensions between Kurdish and Turkish factions for decades, and the HDP's decision not to field a candidate is seen as a key factor in the upcoming election.
In a surprise move, OPEC+ producers announced that they would cut output by 1.66 million barrels per day, sparking a surge in oil prices. The collective output cut brings the total volume of cuts by OPEC+ to 3.66 million bpd, equal to 3.7% of global demand.
Meanwhile, Iranian-American comedian Maz Jobrani spoke to CNN's Becky Anderson about his support for the protests in his homeland, saying that he used his standup comedy platform to highlight the “brutality against the Iranian people.”
The situation remains tense in the Middle East, with ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran. The Israeli military has previously claimed responsibility for attacks it has described as Iranian-linked targets in Syria.
A photo of Palm Sunday celebrations in northern Iraq shows Christians gathering at a church in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region.
Erdogan has been cracking down on the party after it began chipping away at his voter base, with former leader Selahattin Demirtas in prison for nearly seven years. The party faces possible closure by a court for suspected collusion with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and affiliated groups. However, its influence may determine the course of Turkey's politics.
The HDP's decision not to field a candidate came just three days after head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kilicdaroglu, visited the party's co-chairs. He told reporters that the solution to Turkey's problems, “including the Kurdish problem” lies in parliament.
Kilicdaroglu is the strongest contender to run against Erdogan in years, and while the HDP hasn't yet announced whether it will put its weight behind him, analysts say it is crucial for his chances. The HDP knows that its position is key to the outcome of next month's vote, but that it’s also in a delicate situation.
"We want to play the game wisely, and we need to be very careful," said Hisyar Ozsoy, deputy co-chair of the HDP and a member of parliament from the predominantly Kurdish province of Diyarbakir. “We are not going to have our own candidate, and we will leave it to the international community to interpret it the way they wish."
The accusations against the HDP place it in a precarious position during the elections. It currently faces a case in Turkey’s Constitutional Court over suspected ties to the PKK, which is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
Kurds are the biggest minority in Turkey, making up between 15% and 20% of the population, according to Minority Rights Group International. It's unclear if the HDP will endorse Kilicdaroglu, but analysts say that the deliberate distance may be beneficial for the opposition candidate.
The party was founded in 2012 as an opposition force in Turkey's parliament and has won seats in nearly every election since then. The HDP has become a powerful force in Turkish politics, with many of its members serving in parliament. However, the party faces significant challenges in the upcoming election, including allegations of ties to the PKK.
The HDP's decision not to field a candidate is seen as a strategic move to ensure that Kilicdaroglu's chances of winning are maximized. By doing so, the party is also attempting to distance itself from allegations of ties to the PKK and other militant groups.
As the election approaches, Turkey remains deeply divided along ethnic and sectarian lines. The country has struggled with tensions between Kurdish and Turkish factions for decades, and the HDP's decision not to field a candidate is seen as a key factor in the upcoming election.
In a surprise move, OPEC+ producers announced that they would cut output by 1.66 million barrels per day, sparking a surge in oil prices. The collective output cut brings the total volume of cuts by OPEC+ to 3.66 million bpd, equal to 3.7% of global demand.
Meanwhile, Iranian-American comedian Maz Jobrani spoke to CNN's Becky Anderson about his support for the protests in his homeland, saying that he used his standup comedy platform to highlight the “brutality against the Iranian people.”
The situation remains tense in the Middle East, with ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran. The Israeli military has previously claimed responsibility for attacks it has described as Iranian-linked targets in Syria.
A photo of Palm Sunday celebrations in northern Iraq shows Christians gathering at a church in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region.
lol so its like the hdp is all "we dont wanna run a candidate" and that's gotta be good 4 kemal kilicdaroglu lol analysts r saying he might actually win now 
but also theres all these accusations against the hdp of being tied to the pkk group 
whatevs i guess it just goes to show how divided turkey is 
anyhoo lets hope the middle east situation gets resolved soon 
but at the same time, i get why they're being careful - the situation with selahattin demirtas in prison for 7 years is crazy. it feels like the gov's been cracking down on them left and right. 
anyway, its interesting that kemal kilicdaroglu might be the strongest contender to run against erdogan now... fingers crossed for a more peaceful future for turkey 
just thinkin about turkeys politics and how the hdp's move might change things. seems like kemal kilicdaroglu is lookin good to take down erdogan 
.
. It's interesting how they're playing it cool, leaving it up to Kilicdaroglu to gain support from the international community 
. Analysts think it's a strategic move to boost his chances, but others might see it as a sign of weakness 
.
Did you know that the HDP has won seats in nearly every election since 2012? 
It's crazy how much influence they have on Turkish politics! 
OPEC+ producers cut output by 1.66 million barrels per day, sparking a surge in prices 
The global demand for oil is just under 100 million bpd, and OPEC+ accounts for around 40% of that 
By the way, did you know that Kurds make up between 15-20% of Turkey's population? 
It's no wonder they're such a crucial factor in Turkish politics! 
what if they're right and it all comes together for them? on the other hand, doesn't this decision also make them look super passive, like they're not willing to take any real risks? 
either way, I'm keeping an eye on how this plays out - should be interesting 
and with the kurds playing such a big role in turkey's politics, it's hard to predict what's gonna happen next 
️ Kilicdaroglu's got a good shot at beating erdogan, and with the hdp backing him, that'd be huge 
.
. But, I mean, let's not get too distracted from Turkey's elections just yet 
. The situation is still super fluid, and we need to keep an eye on it 
Erdogan's gonna get roasted if Kilicdaroglu wins lol what about Selahattin Demirtas being stuck in prison for 7 years tho? that's some nasty politics 
and btw have you seen the oil prices lately? 1.66 million barrels per day is crazy 
and then i saw that maz jobrani is talking about protests in iran 
anyway back to turkey dude i don't get why they can't just have a simple election 
. they're basically takin it easy by not choosin a candidate and lettin kemal kilicdaroglu take the lead 
. i think its cool that the hdp is playin it safe, but at the same time, kilicdaroglu's chances are pretty high 
this is so crazy about the HDP not having a presidential candidate 
and now we're seeing analysts say they are the kingmakers of the elections 
. analysts say it's a clever tactic to boost kilicdaroglu's chances, but also that it might give the opposition an upper hand in the elections 
️. like, who needs more inflation? 
can we just take a step back and think about what's really important here? 
. as an american expat living abroad, it's crazy to see how our own governments are still stuck on supporting those who oppress others 
. The Middle East situation is still super volatile, though...