The People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has achieved a historic victory in the elections in Batman, Turkey. The DEM Party received 122,000 votes, which accounted for 64.50 percent of the total votes cast. The HUDA Party received 29,476 votes, or 15.70 percent, while the ruling AKP received 23,356 votes, or 12.44 percent. This victory is significant as it demonstrates the growing support for the DEM Party and its ideology in the region. Speaking at the celebration held in Batman, co-chair Gülistan Sönük emphasized that the 'Jin Jiyan Azadî' philosophy, which promotes women's rights, life, and freedom, emerged victorious over the ISIS mentality [b6d1e4a4].
The success of the DEM Party in the Batman elections adds to the recent wave of victories for opposition parties in Turkey. The Republican People's Party (CHP) emerged victorious in the local elections in Istanbul and Ankara, with Ekrem Imamoglu winning the mayoral race in Istanbul and Mansur Yavas claiming victory in Ankara. These wins are seen as a significant blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party, which has held power for 25 years. The opposition's success in these key cities is viewed as a sign of growing discontent with Erdogan's government and could have implications for the country's political landscape [9ee4152c] [da0427d2].
The DEM Party's victory in Batman is attributed to its promotion of the 'Jin Jiyan Azadî' philosophy, which resonated with voters in the region. This philosophy emphasizes women's rights, life, and freedom, and stands in stark contrast to the ISIS mentality. The DEM Party's success in Batman demonstrates the growing support for progressive and inclusive ideologies in Turkey. It also highlights the importance of addressing issues such as gender equality and human rights in the country's political discourse. The victory in Batman further solidifies the DEM Party's position as a significant player in Turkish politics and sets the stage for further political developments in the region [b6d1e4a4].
Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), won major victories in the mayorships of Istanbul and Ankara, dealing a blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) [6b16ee4c]. With more than 90% of ballot boxes counted, incumbent Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the CHP was leading by a wide margin in Turkey's largest city. The CHP won the municipalities of 36 of Turkey's 81 provinces, making inroads into many strongholds of Erdogan's party. Erdogan began his political career as a mayor in Istanbul in 1994 and later won the country's presidency for the first time in 2014. The election results dented Erdogan's prospects of adopting a new constitution, which could potentially extend his rule beyond the 2028 conclusion of his term. Turkey's high cost of living, driven by almost 70% inflation, as well as the government's aggressive interest rate hikes to rein in inflation, has alienated voters. The New Welfare Party (YRP), which largely competed with the AKP over the support of conservative voters, took two provinces. The pro-Kurdish Equality and Democracy Party took 10 provinces while the Erdogan-allied Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) won eight scattered across the country [6b16ee4c].
Selahattin Demirtaş, the co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), has been sentenced to 42 years in prison over deadly 2014 protests. Demirtaş, a popular Kurdish leader, has been viewed by Western governments as a political prisoner. The HDP, under Demirtaş's leadership, has become the third-largest voting bloc in parliament, giving Kurdish voters a powerful voice. However, the HDP is facing a ban by Erdoğan's government over alleged terrorist ties. Demirtaş has been in jail since 2016 and has used his time to become a prolific author. He has rejected any connection between the HDP and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) [e09d016a].