A response will be given in the 31 March local elections to those who deny the existence of Kurds and fail to support them, said Tuncer Bakırhan, co-chair of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, during his campaign trail in Istanbul on Thursday.
The DEM Party is gearing up for the elections with a focus on bringing visibility to Kurdish issues and ensuring that those who have historically marginalised Kurdish voices are held accountable. “We will give our answer to those who say ‘Kurds do not exist’ on 31 March,” Bakırhan declared, emphasising the significance of the election date for Kurdish representation.
Speaking to locals and traders in Sancaktepe, an Istanbul district with a notable Kurdish population that was forced to leave their lands due to the Turkish state’s militaristic policies to tackle the Kurdish conflict, Bakırhan emphasised the upcoming elections on 31 March as a critical opportunity for addressing these concerns.
Bakırhan’s message was clear: the party seeks to challenge the status quo by advocating for Kurdish rights and ensuring their voices are heard and respected in the political arena. He underscored that the campaign is not just about winning seats but about affirming the existence and rights of Kurds within Turkey’s political landscape.