Former presidential candidate of the France Insoumise party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, sent a video message to Amed Newroz.

Melenchon said: “Today is the new year of the Kurds. I sincerely wish you a happy new year. We, the French people, are deeply linked to the Kurds and their social and secular fight. That's why our hearts are with you as we enter this new year.”

Stating that AKP Chairperson and President Tayyip Erdoğan is putting pressure on the Kurds, Melenchon continued: “One way the president uses to put pressure on the Kurds is by putting pressure on the HDP and all the leaders of the Kurdish resistance. You suffered a terrible earthquake. There was a lot of death and destruction. Our love is with you all. I hope that the next elections will be as profitable as possible for the people of Turkey. So I hope that these elections will be free of any mishandling. We have seen in the past that Mr. Erdoğan used such tools against democracy.”

Melanchon added: “Kurds have the right to democracy. Democracy is the most natural thing to organize the human community peacefully. It is in the nature of democracy to deal with conflicts. It is much simpler and more honorable to solve conflicts by voting and discussion. It is wiser than resorting to permanent violence as done by a reactionary government. Erdoğan regularly resorts to violence against the people of Turkey in general and the Kurds in particular. I hope this year will be beneficial both to Turkish and Kurdish people.”