In a controversial decision, Turkey’s electoral authorities denied the newly elected mayor from a pro-Kurdish political party, Abdullah Zeydan, the right to hold office in the eastern city of Van. Zeydan was replaced by his runner-up, Abdullah Arvas, from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling party. This decision came after Sunday’s local polls, which were a setback for Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party, as the main opposition party retained control of Istanbul and Ankara while the pro-Kurdish Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) won several municipalities in Kurdish regions.
The decision to revoke Zeydan’s mandate sparked condemnation and street protests in Van, with police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. DEM has said they will seek to appeal the decision, and the main opposition party, CHP, has also condemned the move and sent a delegation to show support for Zeydan. The electoral authority cited a last-minute court decision that reversed an earlier ruling allowing Zeydan, who spent time in prison, to run for office. Zeydan had won 55% of the votes in Van, while Arvas garnered 27%.
In addition to Van, DEM also won municipalities in nine provinces in Turkey’s Kurdish-populated southeast. This comes after years of repression and thousands of political activists being arrested in Kurdish regions. In the past, Erdoğan’s government has removed elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office for alleged links to Kurdish militants and replaced them with state-appointed trustees. Despite this, DEM was able to make significant gains in the recent local elections in Kurdish regions.
The local elections in Turkey marked a significant victory for the opposition, with huge gains in urban areas. The ruling party suffered losses in major cities, including Istanbul and Ankara, where the main opposition party retained control. The pro-Kurdish party, DEM, also saw success in Kurdish regions, despite facing repression and arrests of political activists. The decision to revoke Zeydan’s mandate in Van has ignited protests and condemnation, highlighting the ongoing political tensions in Turkey.
The controversial decision to deny Zeydan the right to hold office in Van and replace him with a candidate from the ruling party has raised concerns about the fairness of the electoral process in Turkey. The use of water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters in Van has also drawn criticism. The main opposition party has condemned the decision and shown support for Zeydan, indicating a growing rift between the government and opposition in Turkey. The outcome of the recent local elections reflects the changing political landscape in the country and the challenges facing the Kurdish population in Turkey’s southeast.
