There are less than two weeks to go until Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections on 14 May. The main party of the democratic opposition is the Green Left Party. The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) is threatened with a ban and therefore supports the Green Left Party in the parliamentary elections. Every vote is crucial in the upcoming elections. Publisher, journalist, author, HDP Honorary Chair and Honorary Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Ertuğrul Kürkçü, spoke to ANF about the upcoming elections.

Kürkçü underlined the strategic importance of the elections, which, he said, are crucial "because either we will stop the attempt to establish a fascist dictatorship, or it will continue in that direction.” He stated: “We must not allow a defeat. We must win this struggle because after 2015-2016, i.e. after the great success of the HDP, we not only stopped the systematic crackdown on the Kurdish people, democracy and democratic forces in Turkey, but also reversed it. This election represents for us the decisive opportunity to oust Tayyip Erdoğan and his accomplices, the alliance of AKP, MHP and Ergenekon."

"A NEW TIME FOR A SOLUTION TO THE KURDISH QUESTION"

The politician stressed that the defeat of the AKP will offer the opportunity for a solution to the Kurdish question and continued: "At the moment, the balance has shifted in favour of the opposition and against the government. We are in the run-up to the election. I would like to point out that there will not be social and economic changes in Turkey immediately after the election. But the one-man regime will lose its legitimacy. This will give the Kurdish people, the democratic forces, the poor, the labourers and all social groups fighting for their rights the opportunity to raise their voices more freely, in a more organised way and in solidarity. The regime has its limits. The most important thing we expect from this election is the opening of a new era of struggle. It is about finding new interlocutors for a solution to the Kurdish question, starting a new process, having a stronger voice in parliament and being a decisive actor in the legislative process and in new constitutional initiatives. We are fighting for new and more favourable conditions for the struggle. Liberation depends on the results of this struggle. Now we have to make the turning point."

"THE ATTEMPTS TO DISRUPT THE ELECTION PROCESS WILL FAIL"

The HDP Honorary Chair warned that the AKP wants to disrupt the election campaign and process. “However, these attempts will fail in the face of the people's will. When it comes to tyranny, it may seem more advantageous in the short term to rely on the state, the army, the police, the secret services, the gendarmerie, the paramilitaries, the night-watchmen and the street gangs. Ultimately, however, the regime will be concerned with disrupting the electoral process through such circles. The people expect and fear this. Our biggest advantage is that the determination for a change of hegemony is on our side. But it is also not easy for the weakened regime, which is in the process of disintegration, to muster the will to direct its fragmented structure towards destructive activities. If our people show that they are not afraid, if they show a strong attitude, if they protect the ballot boxes, if they stand boldly in the polling stations, if they do not remain silent, if they do not bend, then the regime's dreams of silencing the people through violence will be shattered. The regime is in disintegration, its courage is broken, its strength is not enough to stand against the tide of the people. We saw the same story in Brazil a few months ago. In Brazil, the word was that Bolsonaro would not relinquish power even in the face of the strengthening of Lula's Workers' Party, that he would do something on the last day, that the army would seize power. But the people remained steadfast.

"THE PEOPLE WILL DEFEND THEIR DIGNITY AGAINST THE TYRANT”

I think that Tayyip Erdoğan's silence in the face of the situation is not due to his strength or because he has the power to do such a thing, but on the contrary, he is silent in order to prevent the opposition forces from standing close together and being strong and united, and to reduce the force of the struggle. Because if the tempo increases, it is inevitable that the opposition will unite, and the determination of the people will increase. If we look at the current situation, we can see that even the opening of polling stations is a much stronger expression of will than the rallies organised by the government with all its resources in big cities. From this point of view, I think we should have a ten-point lead in the elections. No force can stand against a ten-point lead. That is why pressure continues to be built. It is enough if we participate in the elections on 14 May with great strength, monitor the polling stations, do not let the polling stations out of our sight for a moment and thus protect the votes. Any intervention beyond this would not only be a matter of the Green Left Party or the Labour and Freedom Alliance, but a matter of Turkey. The people of Turkey will defend their dignity against the tyrant. I trust that our people will protect their pride, their dignity and their voices. The voice of the people has the greatest importance in Turkey. The people will not entrust it to anyone."

"FASCISM WILL BE OVERTHROWN"

Appealing to eligible voters in Europe, Kürkçü said: "Every vote for the Green Left Party in Europe will bring the overthrow of fascism and the opening of Turkey’s gates. The HDP won two more parliamentary seats thanks to the votes from Europe. There are almost three million eligible voters in Europe. Most of them do not support the ruling party. But the complacency or indifference of the opposition to the individual vote mobilises the power of the people abroad for the dictatorship. We must reverse this. With every vote we lay another stone on the road to the overthrow of fascism. How can an anti-fascist, a democrat, a Kurd refrain from continuing to build this path? Our peoples must go to the polls with the determination to stand up for freedom. I would like to give an example: all our voters in Europe are as many as those in the third constituency of Istanbul. We had six MPs from there before, now we are aiming for seven or eight. With the support of Europe, we can double that number. A strong parliament, a strong Green Left Party group in parliament means we will have the power to make laws. It means opening the doors between Europe and Turkey. It will be our contribution to Turkey's freedom. With love, respect and esteem, I call on everyone to cast their vote to put an end to the dictatorship."