604 Independent Candidates for Elections

In the general elections of this year, there will be 604 independent candidates standing, about 15 of them women. Political parties who cannot hope to overcome the 10 percent electoral hurdle are also fielding independent candidates.

Bia news center - İstanbul

07-06-2007

This pre-election period has been marked by a proliferation of independent candidates, many of whom are actually affiliated to political parties who will not net 10 percent of the national vote.

On 22 July, there will be 604 independent candidates, about 15 of whom are women.

The pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), for instance, has 66 independent candidates, while the religious-nationalist Great Union Party (BBP) has 21.

In the previous general elections in 2002, nine independent candidates entered parliament.

In the East and South-East of the country, there are higher numbers of independent candidates, which has led the DTP to claim that there is an attempt at sabotaging the election of Kurdish candidates. (NZ/EÜ/AG/EÜ)

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