Selahattin Demirtaş, jailed Kurdish politician and former co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), has called on voters to support the Green Left Party in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Turkey.
Demirtaş emphasised the need for a party that defends all freedoms in the country. “The labour and class struggle cannot be separated from the struggle for women’s liberation, the struggle for ecology, the struggle for freedom of identity and belief, the struggle for human rights,” he said.
He called the Green Left Party “unique in Turkey”, saying it can lead the most effective and balanced opposition against the new government that will be formed after 14 May elections.
Demirtaş also noted the party’s 50 percent gender quota for women and its inclusion of young people in the administration. “Because it is the party where women are the strongest with a 50 percent gender quota, because young people can have a say and a decision in the administration, because it is a political power that has no owners other than the people, we call it the Green Left Party,” he said.
“For a peaceful, democratic solution to the Kurdish question in Parliament, we say the Green Left Party for the united struggle of all diversities from Circassians to Arabs, Turkmens to Assyrians, Alevis to Yazidis, Sunnis to Christians, Kurds to Azerbaijanis,” Demirtaş added.
The parliamentary elections in Turkey are set to take place this Sunday, and Demirtaş has urged voters to make two vital decisions. “In the presidential election, I think you should vote for Kılıçdaroğlu for change. But the parliamentary elections are also very, very important and you should definitely vote for change there too. The Green Left Party is the best option in this respect,” he said.
Demirtaş also issued a voice message which was played during the Green Left rallies across the country last weekend, urging voters to “vote for change” and support the Green Left Party in the parliamentary elections.
