The European Left (EL) will closely observe Turkey’s 14 May elections, the party announced on Saturday.
The European Left expressed concern over the safety of democracy in Turkey and stated that a delegation of party members will be on the ground during the polls to protect voter’s basic democratic rights.
The international political coalition comprises socialist, communist, red-green, and other democratic left-wing parties in Europe.
On Twitter the party quoted the european branch of the Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP), a pro-Kurdish party running in Turkey’s 14 May elections under the Green Left due to a threat of pre-election closure by the country’s top court.
“Democracy is at stake in the next elections in Turkey. The government’s relentless repression of the opposition casts doubts on the integrity of the 14 May elections. This Sunday, we will be on the ground to observe whether fundamental democratic rights are respected,” said the European Left.
The party’s concerns about the integrity of the Turkish elections have been echoed by Nikolaj Villiumsen, a member of the European Parliament and vice-president of the European Left and co-ordinating member of the Kurdish Friendship Group. Villiumsen criticised the Turkish government’s election fraud and repression of the opposition.
“The People of Turkey deserve a free and fair election on Sunday!” Villiumsen said.
Turkish authorities were accused, by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), of impeding election observation work, including blocking a Danish lawmaker from involvement due to his previous visit to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
