International observers have convened in the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakır (Amed) to scrutinise the electoral process ahead of Turkey’s local elections on Sunday.
This year, like in previous ones, monitoring teams from Sweden, Germany, France and the United Kingdom have travelled to Kurdish cities to observe and document the elections.
Gökay Akbulut, representing the German Left Party (Die Linke), visited the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Diyarbakır branch, emphasising the significance of democratic elections and expressing concerns over past election issues in Kurdish regions. “We have followed the DEM Party’s effective election campaign. We wish success to DEM candidates and are here to support them,” Akbulut stated.
Furthermore, Akbulut announced plans to compile a detailed report on the elections’ conduct, including any observed violations or pressures, to be shared with the German public and institutions as well as the EU and the Council of Europe.
Dr. Sabine Skubsch, another Die Linke member within the delegation, expressed solidarity with the DEM Party, referring to it as a “sister party” and highlighting the international observers’ commitment to supporting fair elections in the region.