Policy Paper “The Pivotal Role of the Pro-Kurdish Party HDP in Turkish Politics”

Date of publication: July 7, 2022

Ramazan Ozel from the Prague Centre for Middle East Relations (PCMR) published a policy paper entitled “The Pivotal Role of the Pro-Kurdish Party HDP in Turkish Politics.” The paper analyzes the current role of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkish politics in the context of upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for 2023.

The People’s Democratic Party (HDP), a leftist political party that mainly promotes the political rights of the Kurds and other minorities in Turkey, has been an important actor in the Turkish-Kurdish politics in the recent years. The party is facing a closure case over its actions and has apparent relations with the armed group Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Regardless of these issues, the HDP has now an important vote share that can help the opposition to win the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. However, the controversies over the relations with the PKK and the ideological affiliation of the party have been a barrier to formally join any coalition. This policy paper investigates the role of the HDP in current political landscape in Turkey and provides an analysis of the current HDP-PKK relation and its impact on the upcoming elections.

Read the full text in English by clicking on the button below.