Football fans in Turkey are continuing to protest against the representation of Islamist extremism in the Turkish parliament since the parliamentary elections held on 14 May, after Fenerbahçe supporters expressed their objections at a match on Thursday night.
Demonstrations against the Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR) gained momentum during a Turkish Football Federation League Three match in Mersin on Saturday, with Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati facing a hostile reception from the crowd when he attempted to address them. Nebati was met with boos and chants of “No place for Hizbullah in parliament.”
The outcry from football fans stems from the election of four HÜDA-PAR members as MPs from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lists as part of President Erdoğan’s People’s Alliance. HÜDA-PAR is an Islamist right-wing party with ties to the Kurdish Hizbullah.
Meanwhile, in a joint statement on Saturday, several left-wing fan groups in Turkey called for active participation in the coming presidential run-off, and urged citizens to assume the roles of election observers to try to ensure a fair voting process. Despite their diverse affiliations, 13 fan groups including the feminist Purple Barricade (Mor Barikat) and Resistance (Direniş), emphasised their shared concerns and the importance of collective action.
