Türkiye’s controversial Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), currently facing a ban over alleged terrorism links, has hinted at possibly offering support to the main opposition’s presidential runner Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, likely in exchange for what pundits are calling “a series of demands” following a much-anticipated one-on-one meeting in the capital Ankara on Monday.
Addressing reporters after holding talks with Kılıçdaroğlu and his Republican People's Party (CHP) delegation at their offices in Parliament, HDP co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar assured a “more detailed statement” was on the way regarding their “constructive” meeting with the presidential candidate.
Kılıçdaroğlu revealed his delegation had delivered the electoral declaration of the six-party opposition’s Nation Alliance to the HDP, whose endorsement it has been tentatively pursuing since the bloc was founded in spite of internal objections, mostly from the nationalist Good Party (IP).
“It’s not right to shut down a political party in the 21st century. We know parties continue in politics under different names after closure,” Kılıçdaroğlu also said, referring to the lawsuit the party is currently fighting to stave off ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14.
The lawsuit seeks to ban the party and all its officials from financial support and politics for “conspiring with the PKK terrorist group, its affiliated branches and aiming to destroy and eliminate the indivisible integrity of the state.”
While it’s unclear whether the HDP will survive until the polls, the party is considered a critical factor in defining the course of the election campaign since it holds 10% support nationwide, consisting of mainly Kurdish voters.
Kılıçdaroğlu on Monday further expressed the bloc’s “dissatisfaction” at the appointment of trustees to a total of 48 municipalities won by the HDP in 2019 due to elected mayors’ alleged links to terrorism.
“We conveyed to the HDP we do not condone this appointment at all. An elected official can only be removed through an election. Hypothecating the people’s willpower is not right,” Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters.
He added the sides discussed the post-election process, the economic crisis, the destruction of the Feb. 6 earthquakes and the recovery process, as well as the HDP’s “desire for a democratic solution to the Kurdish problem at Parliament.”
“That’s why we wanted to host Kılıçdaroğlu here. We wanted to underline that this issue can only be resolved at Parliament,” Buldan noted before confirming that the HDP would make another official statement in the upcoming days, hinting at a potential agreement to back the six-party bloc’s joint candidate.
The HDP officials previously claimed they would field their own presidential nominee in the absence of attention from the six parties only to express openness to the idea of joining the alliance after Kılıçdaroğlu was confirmed. They then outlined preconditions for their support, coincidentally during a crisis in the bloc in early March over Good Party’s objections to Kılıçdaroğlu’s nomination, namely open dialogue, ministry posts if the opposition wins and the removal of trustees, among other things.
One party official recently claimed the HDP “should be allowed to name any demand it wants if it is to back a joint candidate while you lock horns over the vice presidency,” in reference to IP leader Meral Akşener’s favoring of Istanbul and Ankara’s popular mayors over Kılıçdaroğlu that nearly brought down the alliance.
Akşener in recent weeks strongly rebuked the idea of collaborating with the HDP, let alone welcoming them into the alliance, saying the CHP was “free to speak with the HDP but could not bring them into the bloc.”
While May 14 nears and parties scramble to bolster alliances, the HDP’s endorsement stands vital for the Kılıçdaroğlu-led coalition as it lags behind the People’s Alliance, the electoral alliance helmed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) alongside the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Great Union Party (BBP).
While Nation Alliance tries to juggle changing internal dynamics and the HDP’s apparent terms, the People’s Alliance has been expanding its reach, welcoming yet-to-be-formal endorsement for incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from the Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR), which mainly draws support from voters of Kurdish background.
Meanwhile, Muharrem Ince, who challenged President Erdoğan in the 2018 elections on behalf of the CHP, also announced his bid for the top office last week on behalf of the Homeland Party (MP), saying he wanted to provide voters with “a new option.”
Ince often lambasts the six-party opposition for “failing to win the people’s favor” with their existing political model.
In a letter responding to calls for his withdrawal from the race, Ince argued, “I don’t believe the Nation Alliance’s current mentality or that its candidate could defeat Erdoğan. I think fielding a single candidate also seems to suit their book.”
“While he still has time, Mr. Kemal should break up his alliance with parties with weak public support just because they approve of his candidacy,” Ince said, adding that he would “work to ensure Erdoğan will lose if the elections head to a run-off.”
A total of 36 parties will be competing in the May 14 polls and while smaller parties and independent candidates have thrown their hats in the ring, the race is likely to be primarily between Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu.
