Cracks in Turkey’s opposition alliance emerge over ties to HDP Kurds

Infighting within the major alliance of six Turkish opposition parties over the role of the country’s largest pro-Kurdish group has the ruling party palpably gleeful.
Co-leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Pervin Buldan delivers a speech during the party's meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara on April 26, 2022.
Co-leader of the People's Democratic Party Pervin Buldan delivers a speech during a party meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara on April 26, 2022. - ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images
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Amberin Zaman
@amberinzaman

Turkey’s alliance of six opposition parties is in a war of words over the role of the country’s largest pro-Kurdish group, part of an escalating debate that can only benefit Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of critical elections due to be held by June 2023.

Meral Aksener, the leader of the right-wing nationalist Iyi or Good Party, declared during an internal party meeting on Sept. 6 that “we will not be at the same table” with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and that “the HDP cannot be at the same table as us.”

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