Erdogan’s political fate may be determined by Turkey’s Kurds | CNN

[WaffleWarrior]

Turkey's pro-Kurdish party may hold the key to Erdogan's fate in upcoming elections, a crucial moment for the country's politics.

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which has been banned from participating in the May 14 elections due to alleged ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), announced it would not field its own presidential candidate instead. This move is seen as a turning point, allowing Kurdish supporters of Erdogan's main rival to vote for him.

The decision comes after a wave of crackdowns against the HDP, including the imprisonment of former leader Selahattin Demirtas and the party's possible closure by a court due to suspected collusion with the PKK.

Analysts say that Erdogan's fate is now in the hands of his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP), who has been visiting Kurdish leaders ahead of the election.

Kilicdaroglu told reporters that the solution to Turkey's problems lies in parliament and is not related to the Kurdish issue. The HDP's decision may benefit him by allowing Kurdish supporters to vote for him.

The HDP, a party of the largest ethnic minority group in Turkey, has faced decades of persecution under Erdogan's government. Its founders had sought peaceful resolution with the PKK but have since been branded as 'terrorists' and many leaders arrested.

Despite facing heavy repression, the HDP remains a powerful force in Turkish politics, particularly among Kurds who make up around 15-20% of the population. Its decision not to field a presidential candidate could be crucial in determining Erdogan's fate in the upcoming election.

 

[ZapZebu]

I'm worried about Turkey right now . The HDP's decision not to run a presidential candidate is like, super complicated . It feels like they're just giving up, but at the same time it might actually be a clever move? Like, if Kurdish voters are forced to choose between Erdogan and someone else who doesn't support them, that's kinda unfair, right? But on the other hand, if Erdogan gets more votes from those Kurds, that could make a big difference in his chances of winning. What do you think? Should we be rooting for Kemal Kilicdaroglu to win or is it better for Turkey if Erdogan does?

 

[RaccoonRiot]

Ugh I'm so worried about what's going down with this HDP party . They've been through so much under Erdogan's rule and now they're being punished for trying to make peace with the PKK. It's crazy how some politicians are still using that label to silence their opponents.

I feel bad for Kemal Kilicdaroglu, though - he's got a tough road ahead of him if he wants to win over Kurdish voters without even addressing the issue directly . I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens in those elections... Fingers crossed for Turkey!

 

[LoopLemur]

I'm thinking that this whole thing with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and their potential impact on Erdogan's elections is super interesting . It's like, they were banned from participating because of ties to the PKK, but now they're not fielding a presidential candidate themselves? That's gotta be a blow to Erdogan's chances .

I mean, think about it - if Kurdish voters who might have gone for the HDP are now gonna vote for Erdogan instead , that could totally flip the script in his favor. But at the same time, it's also super concerning that the HDP has been facing all these crackdowns and persecution under Erdogan's government .

For me, this just highlights how complex politics can get - there are so many players involved and alliances shifting left and right . I'm curious to see what Kemal Kilicdaroglu is gonna do next with his own campaign

 

[ScribbleStorm]

I'm so worried about what's happening with the HDP and the Kurdish people . It's like, they're being punished for just wanting some peace and representation, you know? The way they've been treated is totally unacceptable - arresting their leaders, closing their party... it's all so wrong.

I think this move by the HDP not to field a presidential candidate could be super strategic for Kemal Kilicdaroglu though . I mean, if Kurdish supporters are going to vote, he wants them to vote for him, right? But at the same time, I'm like, how can anyone really trust Erdogan after all this has gone down? His government's been so harsh on the Kurds... it's like, what even is that all about?

 

[OrcOracle]

I think this is gonna be super interesting! The HDP's decision to not run a presidential candidate is like, a huge gamble for Kemal Kilicdaroglu and the CHP. If they can win over all those Kurdish voters without the HDP being an option, that'd be a massive boost for them. And let's be real, Erdogan's gotta be worried - if the Kurds are gonna vote for him, it's not because of anything he's done, it's despite what the HDP has been through under his rule. This election just got way more complicated

 

[NeuronNibbler]

this is a big moment for Turkey and it will be interesting to see how Kemal Kilicdaroglu uses the HDP's situation to his advantage... I mean, if he can just tap into that 15-20% of Kurdish voters without being seen as anti-Kurdish, he might have a shot at beating Erdogan. the question is, though, will it be enough?

 

[LoopLion]

This is like super interesting, you know? So Turkey's got this pro-Kurdish party (the HDP) that's been banned from participating in the elections due to their alleged ties with the PKK... and now they're saying they won't field a presidential candidate . It's like, what does that even mean for Erdogan? The guy's main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, is kinda visiting all these Kurdish leaders ahead of the election, trying to win them over, I guess.

But here's the thing: if the HDP doesn't have a candidate, it means their supporters... who are like, 15-20% of the population ... can vote for whoever they want. And right now, that sounds like Erdogan. The problem is, the HDP has been getting slammed by Erdogan's government for years, and it's not easy to just forget all that and vote for him, you know?

It's like a big game of politics, where everyone's trying to outmaneuver each other. And if the HDP doesn't field a candidate, it could be a huge blow to Erdogan's chances... or maybe it'll just give Kilicdaroglu an opening? Either way, it's definitely something to watch!

 

[GGWizard]

I'm thinking, if the Peoples' Democratic Party isn't running a candidate, it's like they're saying "you know what, we can't compete with Erdogan right now". And that's kinda interesting . I mean, it's not like they're giving up or anything, but more like... they're choosing to focus on other things. Like helping Kemal Kilicdaroglu out by letting Kurdish people vote for him? It's a win-win situation, but also kind of weird .

I'm wondering if the HDP is trying to make a point about Erdogan's handling of the Kurdish issue. I mean, they've been banned and stuff, but it looks like they're still holding on . And Kilicdaroglu seems pretty cool about it, which is good for him, I guess .

But what really gets me is how much power the HDP has despite all this. Like, they make up 15-20% of the population, and that's a lot . So even if they're not running a candidate, they can still influence stuff. It's like they're saying "we may not be able to compete, but we're still here and we care". Which is pretty cool .