The European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E), a Kurdish umbrella organisation, has urged expatriate voters to participate in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections, calling for mobilisation and stressing the election’s strategic importance in a statement issued on Thursday.
Millions of Turkish citizens living abroad began voting today, 27 April, in the elections which will decide whether President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will govern Turkey for another term. The voting window is open until 9 May for citizens living abroad.
The KCDK-E statement highlighted the importance of the upcoming elections, describing it as being “of strategic importance against the Kurdish-hating fascist power and dictator Erdoğan”. The organisation also noted that the election is significant for all opposition groups within Turkey. Emphasising that mobilisation is key to a successful election result, the KCDK-E called on its members to work tirelessly to get voters to the polls.
The KCDK-E pointed out that in places where Kurdish voters turned out in force in previous elections, pro-Kurdish parties, such as the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), were successful. Conversely, in places where voters did not turn out, the vote share of pro-Kurdish parties was much lower.
“For freedom, democracy and a bright future, let’s mobilise, let’s go to the polls, let’s go abroad; vote for the Green Left Party,” the statement concludes.
