Will Turkish opposition leader's Alevi faith be hindrance at polls?
While some speculate Kemal Kilicdaroglu's faith could cost him votes in a potential runoff against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, if framed properly it could even provide an opportunity for the opposition.
The boil has been lanced. The debate over the Alevi faith of Turkey’s main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and what it means for his electoral fortunes in a potential face-off with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan finally spilled out into the public when Ahmet Sik, a left-wing lawmaker and former journalist, made his opinions known.
Sik articulated what many privately thought but dared not say: that Kilicdaroglu’s Alevi roots are a hindrance. Sik was forced to apologize and clarify his remarks after facing sharp criticism for providing fodder to Erdogan, who has played the Alevi card against Kilicdaroglu in the past.
