HDP, Green Left maintain support for Kılıçdaroğlu despite deal with far-right leader

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The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the Green Left (Yeşil Sol) Party have announced that their support for Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will continue in the second round of the presidential election.

The parties yesterday convened their executive committees to decide their position in the runoff, following a deal between the opposition candidate and Ümit Özdağ, head of the ultranationalist Victory (Zafer) Party.

The Kılıçdaroğlu-Özdağ deal pledged to maintain the practice of removing local administrators with "terrorist ties," which raised questions about the HDP's stance in the runoff vote. Since the 2019 local election, the government dismissed all but a handful of the 65 HDP mayors in the country's Kurdish regions over "terrorism-related" allegations against them.

Prior to the first round of the elections on May 14, Kılıçdaroğlu and his allies had repeatedly opposed the removal of mayors and pledged to end this practice.

CLICK - What Kılıçdaroğlu-Özdağ deal implies about removal of elected mayors in Kurdish cities

At a joint press conference by the co-chairs of the HDP and the Green Left, the leaders said they view Sunday's runoff as a "referendum" for the continuation of the "one-man regime." While not explicitly stating that they endorse Kılıçdaroğlu, they said they will vote for the end of the current regime.

"This referendum will be an election with the regime of profiteering, exploitation, plunder, war, and lies on one side, and the peoples' rising longing and desire for democratic transformation on the other side," said Mithat Cancar, HDP co-leader. "Our preference is the hope and will of the society of Turkey for democratic transformation, peace, and prosperity."

The HDP participated in the parliamentary vote on May 14 under the banner of the Green Left Party due to an ongoing closure case against it over its alleged "terror ties." In the predominantly Kurdish-populated provinces where the HDP is traditionally strong, Kılıçdaroğlu secured a sweeping win against Erdoğan. The Green Left received 8.8 percent of the votes countrywide, winning 61 of the 600 seats in the parliament. (VC/VK)