While general elections which will be held on June 7, 2015 are coming closer we are on an election tour with a group of journalists.* Our first stop is İzmir and we firstly interviewed with Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy candidate from İzmir province.
Kürkçü answered our questions about people’s approach in İzmir to HDP and discussions over possibility of coalition.
I’m individually against the coalition with AKP
HDP got 187.000 votes |
İzmir got 26 deputies in the election of 2011. 11 from AKP, 13 from CHP, 2 from MHP. CHP got 43,68%, AKP got 36,67%, MHP got 11,28% of the votes. In İzmir; Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu got 58,66% of the votes, i.e. 1,382,320 votes in the presidential election. Tayyip Erdoğan got 33,38% of the votes, i.e. 786547 votes in the presidential election. Selahattin Demirtaş got 7.95% of the votes, i.e. 187405 votes in the presidential election. |
Kürkçü implied the prejudices in İzmir had been eliminated and HDP would have at least two, even four deputies from İzmir. Kürkçü said that people in İzmir asked questions about a possibility to create a coalition with AKP. Even though he indicated that he was against the coalition individually, he stated that he couldn’t speak on behalf of his party.
“Coalition has become a serious problem like AKP feared. I personally don’t want to participate in any kind of coalition but this not the view of my party. I don’t suppose that AKP will change its existing policies. If AKP resorts to violence to public, this will be a nightmare. In other words, we must not create coalition with AKP. We mustn’t. I have no idea what other members of my party think about this subject. There isn’t any mutual decision yet.”
“On the other hand, the only possible choice is the coalition of AKP and Republican People’s Party (CHP) like the capital and Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) wanted. European governments wish to see this coalition, too. They want to see everything in the garden is rosy. Actually you must ask Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of CHP, about the coalition. If we, HDP, want to be the ruling party in 2019, we must not bear the blame of capitalist governments.
İzmir is not perfectly suited for nationalists
Headlines from Kürkçü’s interview are as below:
* It’s a totally rubbish to think İzmir is a paradise on earth for nationalists. I travel around the towns and districts of İzmir but not only on which Kurdish people dwell mostly. There are usually these kinds of worries. However, it’s not the end of the world. We understand that people day by day need a pluralist policy. This is an essentially important conclusion for me.
* İzmir has changed so much in a year. There is a declination of cases such as attacking and isolating HDP since local elections had been made. We are honored everywhere. The ones who won’t cast a vote for us also respect us and greet us warmly.
* Let me tell you something. We were in a gas station and came across a family. Their son lost his life in the conflict. They said “We now understand that it is the best not to war. We respect you and love Selahattin Demirtaş so much.” This is what we must consider. Until now, there hasn’t been any serious obstacles from citizens. Some people attacked polls and party flags but it’s a drop in the bucket when you look at the general image of Turkey.
We are honored but all of them may not turn into votes
* We talked to Chamber of Commerce, Mayor of İzmir, Trade Union’s directors, Alewi associations, radical islamic mosque communities. To understand that people see HDP as an opportunity and a well of refreshment is so encouraging.
* However, all of these don’t need to be inferred that we could get all the votes. I’m not sure of that. Still there is a question in the minds: Is it possible to weaken AKP without voting for HDP and if it is possible why do we vote for HDP? Does AKP create a coalition with HDP or not? Some power bases think that whatever HDP does it benefits AKP.
* Is HDP a real defense and option for women and youngsters against Tayyip Erdoğan’s sultanate and tyranny over their life styles, existence and political choices? The answer to this question has become clear.
* It so astonishing for us to see people positive about HDP and they say they will vote for HDP five out of every ten. It means either we are on the wrong path or this is the complete truth.
We will have two deputies from İzmir. It may be even more…
* I have been running election campaigns with Kurdish parties since 1995. This is the most advantageous period in which we have been. Some walls of the prejudice have collapsed.
* We can double our votes. There are a million Kurdish people in İzmir and voters between 600.000 and 700.000. We have got 200.000 votes until now. Kurdish voters abandon AKP and embrace HDP. Young voters will tend to vote for HDP instead of CHP.
* HDP has an aim of double vote. Public surveys show that we can get two deputies from İzmir. We mustn’t fall behind. We may get four deputies.
* Our purpose is not only take votes in İzmir also we want to increase our votes from all of the country. This is extremely important for us to pass the election threshold. (NV/BD/HK)
Top 5 questions from İzmir |
Answers from HDP’s booklet for frequently asked questions: 1-) Will HDP support Tayyip Erdoğan’s presidential system? Will there any negotiation? We will not make you the president. 2-) You say you are against AKP but you negotiate with AKP for resolution process. What does it mean? If CHP were the ruling party, we would have negotiated with them. 3-)Does HDP only defend the rights of Kurdish people, doesn’t it? How could you claim that you are “Turkey’s” party? HDP, Turkey’s party, draws its strength from Turkey’s pluralist structure and respects each citizen equally. 4-)What does democratic autonomy mean? Is it a part of separatism project? It means people of İzmir will have the right to talk on issues related to regional planning. 5-) Is HDP really honest with the freedom of women? HDP does not speak on behalf of women, women actually speak in HDP. |
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