The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party facilitated the travel of thousands of voters from Istanbul to their respective hometowns in Kurdish regions on Friday, aiming to ensure their participation in Sunday’s local elections.
This initiative, focused on countering the issue of ‘ghost voters’ allegedly mobilised by the ruling coalition of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has seen Istanbul’s Yenikapı area transform into a temporary bus terminal, bustling with voters eager to exercise their democratic rights.
Starting from the early hours, Yenikapı’s seaside area, typically known for political gatherings, the most recent being the grand Istanbul Newroz Rally, witnessed a significant gathering of buses and passengers, resembling an intercity bus terminal. The effort, meticulously organised over two months by the DEM Party’s Mobile Voters Commission, aims to transport nearly 4,000 voters from Istanbul alone.
According to Gönül Karman, a member of the commission, the operation includes around 100 vehicles from Istanbul, with additional buses from districts such as Esenyurt and Sancaktepe. “We are sending our voters to Kurdistan to preserve their will,” Karman stated, highlighting the strategic importance of each vote, particularly in critical areas and among female voters.
Voters like Şehmuz Çakar, heading to Siirt (Sêrt), expressed their determination to “protect their will” against what they perceive as oppression by the AKP, urging everyone to uphold their voting rights. Similarly, voters Oya Sevim and Azad Çiçek echoed the sentiment, emphasising the value of each vote and the enduring significance of the DEM Party for both the Kurdish and Turkish communities.
This mass mobilisation underscores the pivotal role of the Kurdish vote in Turkey’s political landscape, with the DEM Party’s initiative reflecting a broader quest for representation and justice at the ballot box.
