Turkey's pro-Kurdish party emerges as kingmaker in country's upcoming election, potentially tipping the balance against Erdogan. In a key blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling AK Party, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) announced last month that it would not field its own presidential candidate.
The decision is seen as a game-changer, allowing supporters of HDP's main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, to vote for him. Kilicdaroglu represents the six-party Nation Alliance opposition bloc and has emerged as the strongest contender to run against Erdogan in years.
Analysts say the HDP's move could have significant implications, potentially shifting the balance of power in Turkey's politics. The party has faced severe persecution under Erdogan, with its former leader Selahattin Demirtas imprisoned for nearly seven years on terrorism charges.
The crackdown on the HDP is rooted in the threat it poses to Erdogan politically and its position as one of the main parties representing Turkey's Kurdish minority. Relations between Erdogan and the HDP have been strained since the party began chipping away at his voter base.
However, the party's decision not to field a candidate may also benefit Kilicdaroglu, who is seeking to capitalize on the HDP's influence among Kurds. Experts say that the deliberate distance from the opposition candidate could be beneficial for him, as it allows the HDP's supporters to vote for him without being seen as aligning with the party.
The HDP's kingmaker status has been a point of contention in Turkey's politics, with analysts saying that its position is key to the outcome of next month's vote. The party knows that its influence may be crucial in determining the course of Turkey's future but also faces a delicate situation due to ongoing investigations and the threat of closure by a court.
A post-Erdogan Turkey could give some breathing space to the Kurds and Kurdish-dominated parties, with many Kurdish voters having recently left Erdogan's camp. The HDP's former leader Demirtas remains an influential figure, despite being in prison for nearly seven years.
The party's decision not to field a candidate may be seen as an attempt to fulfill its historical responsibility against one-man rule, but it also risks alienating some of its supporters who had hoped for a more concrete effort from the HDP.
The decision is seen as a game-changer, allowing supporters of HDP's main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, to vote for him. Kilicdaroglu represents the six-party Nation Alliance opposition bloc and has emerged as the strongest contender to run against Erdogan in years.
Analysts say the HDP's move could have significant implications, potentially shifting the balance of power in Turkey's politics. The party has faced severe persecution under Erdogan, with its former leader Selahattin Demirtas imprisoned for nearly seven years on terrorism charges.
The crackdown on the HDP is rooted in the threat it poses to Erdogan politically and its position as one of the main parties representing Turkey's Kurdish minority. Relations between Erdogan and the HDP have been strained since the party began chipping away at his voter base.
However, the party's decision not to field a candidate may also benefit Kilicdaroglu, who is seeking to capitalize on the HDP's influence among Kurds. Experts say that the deliberate distance from the opposition candidate could be beneficial for him, as it allows the HDP's supporters to vote for him without being seen as aligning with the party.
The HDP's kingmaker status has been a point of contention in Turkey's politics, with analysts saying that its position is key to the outcome of next month's vote. The party knows that its influence may be crucial in determining the course of Turkey's future but also faces a delicate situation due to ongoing investigations and the threat of closure by a court.
A post-Erdogan Turkey could give some breathing space to the Kurds and Kurdish-dominated parties, with many Kurdish voters having recently left Erdogan's camp. The HDP's former leader Demirtas remains an influential figure, despite being in prison for nearly seven years.
The party's decision not to field a candidate may be seen as an attempt to fulfill its historical responsibility against one-man rule, but it also risks alienating some of its supporters who had hoped for a more concrete effort from the HDP.
! The HDP's move to not field a presidential candidate is like a major plot twist in Game of Thrones, you know? It's like "I'll just stay out of it and watch as everyone else fights for me" 
. Seriously though, it could be a game-changer for Kilicdaroglu, who's looking strong against Erdogan. I mean, the HDP has been under so much pressure from Erdogan, it's like they're trying to survive in The Hunger Games or something 
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. The HDP's decision might be seen as an attempt to fulfill its historical responsibility, but at the same time, it's also a risk that could alienate some of its supporters. We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out 
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. Its interesting that the HDP's influence could give some breathing space to the Kurds, but its also a double edged sword 
. Turkey needs change but it's not always easy when you're dealing with powerful people who don't want to let go 
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i feel bad for selahattin demirtas tho, been in prison for 7 years and stuff 
but i guess it's kind of cool that the hdp is trying to play nice without running a candidate themselves 
. If there was a post-Erdogan Turkey, that would be amazing news! More breathing space for them to express themselves and live freely? That sounds like a dream come true 
. But at the same time, I don't want to see any parties alienating their supporters by not putting up a strong candidate 
. Fingers crossed for a smooth transition in Turkey 
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in Turkish politics, and it could really shake things up 
! Erdogan's been trying to squash the Kurds for ages 
, but now it seems like the HDP's move might just level the playing field 
. The Nation Alliance opposition bloc is looking strong 
, and Kilicdaroglu's got a good shot at taking down Erdogan 
. This could be a major win for democracy in Turkey 
... the HDP's supporters might feel like their voices aren't being heard 
. Fingers crossed for a smooth election process 
!
he's been so brutal to them, it's like what else can they do? 
but at the same time, i feel bad for their supporters who are gonna be left hanging wondering what just happened... i mean, 7 years in prison is a looong time and Demirtas is still an icon 
! I mean, can you believe that the pro-Kurdish party is basically holding all the power now? It's crazy to think that Erdogan's got some major competition coming his way 
. The fact that the HDP isn't fielding its own candidate is wild, it's like they're giving Kilicdaroglu the best chance to win 
. I feel bad for Selahattin Demirtas tho, he's been locked up for years and now his legacy is all about this political move 
!
i mean, think about it, no hdp candidate means kilicdaroglu gets all their Kurdish voters 
Anyway, I do hope some positive change comes out of this election... we need it in Turkey ! 