Leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and its new offshoot, the Green Left Party (YSP), held a news conference on Thursday, announcing their support for Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the May 28 elections, although Kılıçdaroğlu has also received support from a far-right party contradicting the HDP’s policies.
Kılıçdaroğlu pushed the HDP to a tight corner in Turkish politics but the presidential candidate still enjoys support from the party linked to the PKK terrorist group.
At a much-anticipated conference held at the party's headquarters in the capital Ankara, HDP officials reiterated their determination to "oust Erdoğan" through elections.
Though the HDP was not expected to endorse Erdoğan, their decision was unprecedented in terms of approving Kılıçdaroğlu and the Victory Party's (ZP) alliance as the former seeks to court a "nationalist" vote in the runoff.
The HDP is known for its outright hostility toward parties depicted as nationalists in the political spectrum in Türkiye and the feelings are mutual. The People's Alliance led by Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is a staunch opponent of the HDP and YSP's rhetoric supportive of the PKK.
In all of his election rallies, Erdoğan accused Kılıçdaroğlu of aligning with terrorists and receiving the indirect support of terrorists through the HDP, a party facing a closure lawsuit for terror links.
In her statements at the news conference, HDP co-Chair Pervin Buldan highlighted that the May 28 runoff was actually "a referendum" to change "the regime."
Her remarks echoed pledges of Kılıçdaroğlu and his six-party opposition alliance, which prioritize removing the executive presidency system.
Speaking on talks between Kılıçdaroğlu and ZP leader Ümit Özdağ that ended with the latter's support for Kılıçdaroğlu, Buldan said they were "critical" of the support and would continue their "democratic struggle against such approaches."
On both leaders' agreement on adhering to the appointment of trustees to municipalities whose mayors serve the interests of the PKK, Buldan said the practice has been an obstacle to the "political will of Kurds."
Buldan also criticized the ZP's policy on refugees that advocates the forcible return of Syrian refugees and others in Türkiye. She said it was wrong to exploit refugees to advance one's political interests. She also insisted that their policies on several matters remained unchanged.
Yet, Buldan concluded that their only option was "changing the current president." "Erdoğan is never an option for us. We believe that May 28 will be a success for us. We will vote and change this regime," she said.
HDP co-Chair Mithat Sancar said at the news conference that they were aware of "traps set up" for them, adding they would "not give up their goal of democratic transformation" despite these traps. "I call upon citizens, especially those who did not vote in the first round, to cast their ballots," Sancar said.
Kılıçdaroğlu enjoys popularity among all opponents of Erdoğan, something he never encountered as the head of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which suffered from multiple defeats to Erdoğan and the AK Party in the past two decades.
The six-party alliance he leads brought together a diverse array of politicians, mostly political underdogs, including former members of the AK Party, whose vastly different ideologies have the confluence of the ultimate ambition: beating Erdoğan.
Erdoğan, on the other hand, boasts the support of what he calls an alliance focused on defending Türkiye's interests and more congruent in their political ideology.
Ultimately, the Nation Alliance led by Kılıçdaroğlu and unofficially expanded with the support of the ZP and the HDP may confound voters who are not satisfied with Erdoğan but also firm on their ideology. Parties supporting Kılıçdaroğlu blindingly will also alienate their supporters in the long run, according to political pundits.
The outcome of the runoff will show how the blurred, unexpected alliances and swiftly changing rhetoric will help the opposition, especially in a tight race where contenders are eager to boost their vote rate, even a little.
In the HDP case, Kılıçdaroğlu garnered unprecedented support from the party’s strongholds in southeastern Türkiye in the first round of elections. But it remains to be seen where the voters will heed the call of HDP chairs for a politician supported by Özdağ, who often derides HDP, especially over its call for a more independent administration of municipalities in the predominantly Kurdish southeast.