The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) will contest Turkey's parliamentary elections on 14 May under the umbrella of the Green Left Party (Yeşil Sol Parti) as there are serious risks in contesting elections as the HDP.

The HDP has been subject to banning proceedings before the Turkish Constitutional Court for two years. The party's request for a stay of proceedings until after the elections was rejected by the Constitutional Court. The Green Left Party, founded in 2010, has been building party structures throughout the country in recent months in order to be admitted to the elections. The party will contest the elections within the Labour and Freedom Alliance, which, in addition to the HDP, includes the Social Freedom Party (TÖP), Labour Movement Party (EHP), Federation of Socialist Councils (SMF), Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) and Labour Party (EMEP.

The Socialist Alliance in Australia released a statement saluting the launch of the Green Left Party’s campaign for the May 14 elections in Turkey.

The statement by the Socialist Alliance National Co-convenors, Sarah Hathway, Sam Wainwright and Jacob Andrewartha, said, “We understand that the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has been forced to take part in this election through the Green Left Party because of the relentless repression it has been subjected to by the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regime.”

The statement noted that HDP members, leaders, parliamentarians, mayors and other local government representatives have been arrested, imprisoned and removed from democratically elected positions, and that there is an ongoing attempt to ban the HDP.

“The Socialist Alliance condemns this repression and the Erdoğan regime’s abuse of the judicial system. We wish the Green Left Party success in the general election and reaffirm our ongoing solidarity,” the statement concluded.