What do the people of Diyarbakır think about elections?

Click for Kurish “There is no benefit from the Nation Alliance. We must participate in the elections with our candidate.” Bariş Almaz, a 24-year-old young man, works in a confectionery in Diyarbakır, and answered our question, “I was very happy that the HDP will participate in the elections with its candidate.” The People’s Democratic Party (HDP) […]

What do the people of Diyarbakır think about elections?
What do the people of Diyarbakır think about elections?
Gulistan Korban
  • 10 Ocak 2023 10:32

Click for Kurish

“There is no benefit from the Nation Alliance. We must participate in the elections with our candidate.”

Bariş Almaz, a 24-year-old young man, works in a confectionery in Diyarbakır, and answered our question, “I was very happy that the HDP will participate in the elections with its candidate.”

The People’s Democratic Party (HDP) has announced that it will nominate its candidate for the Turkish presidential election.

This statement of the HDP affected people and was evaluated from many sides.

The most wondering thing is what the HDP candidates say about this decision? How do they criticise it?

HDP voters in Diyarbakır spoke to Botan Times about the party’s decision and supported their party.

“If he is not a candidate, let Leyla Zana be”

To ask the people of Diyarbakır, we went to Sur street. Even though there is a hot agenda for the election, cold winter has also affected the city.

We walk towards Gazi Street with the cold wind blowing on our face.

At the entrance to the street, a young man who works in a store and did not want to reveal his name said, “I have no hope in these elections, I have hope for one person and he is in prison.” I just want him to be nominated but he can’t be. If not, let Leyla Zana be.”

He stated that if Demirtas becomes the HDP candidate, he will achieve a great victory.

“Demirtas should be the candidate”

On the street, we stopped in front of a candy shop. We ask the young man who works there what he thinks about the elections.

He both offered us a salep and told us his ideas about the elections.

Berdan says, “HDP should not sit with those other parties. I am Kurdish and I want Selahatin Demirtas to be a candidate. I like his very much. He hasn’t a crime but he is in prison. For that, Demirtas should be the candidate, if not, Gulten Kişanak should be.”

HDP won 62 percent of the votes in the 2019 regional elections in Diyarbakır and became the first party.

According to the Spectrum House Research Center’s report on Kurdish voters, 75 percent of those who voted for HDP want HDP to participate in the elections with its own candidate.

This news was translated by Yonca Sarsılmaz