Turkish opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu is likely to get all the votes of the supporters of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which refused to nominate a presidential candidate on Wednesday, a source close to the matter told Sputnik
ISTANBUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd March, 2023) Turkish opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu is likely to get all the votes of the supporters of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which refused to nominate a presidential candidate on Wednesday, a source close to the matter told Sputnik.
"His (Kilicdaroglu's) chances have increased now. I would not say that his victory is 100% guaranteed but the probability is high," the source said, adding that "95-99% of the HDP's voters will support Kilicdaroglu and not (incumbent Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan now."
He added that the HDP did not demand seats in the parliament in exchange for its support, stating that it could enter the parliament on its own.
Kilicdaroglu, the presidential candidate of the opposition alliance, visited the HDP's headquarters on Monday and met with the party's leadership.
The Peoples' Democratic Party is a left-wing political party in Turkey which places a strong emphasis on the rights of minority groups, including ethnic minorities, giving it a reputation as a pro-Kurdish party.
Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on May 14. The elections are likely to become the most challenging for the ruling party and Erdogan, due to the February earthquakes, which killed at least 50,000 people and caused significant material damage.
