HDP: The opposition should detach its rhetoric from the government

The opposition parties need to delineate themselves from the government’s discourse to get HDP’s (People’s Democratic Party) support while designating a joint candidate for next year’s elections, said Serhat Eren, one of HDP’s vice co-chairs in an interview with Gazete Duvar

A group of six opposition parties including main opposition CHP (Republican People’s Party) have agreed to form an alliance to challenge President Erdogan in the elections but are yet to designate a suitable candidate. HDP does not take part in the alliance but polls suggest more than six millions of HDP voters will be crucial for the opposition to beat Erdogan.

“The opposition must clearly, sincerely and with conviction, determine a roadmap for the solution of the main problems in Turkey and declare it to the public. What is the opposition's approach to the Kurdish issue? ” Eren said, adding the opposition’s public pledge in these central problems would be binding and would be a step forward to establish dialogue.

“The government does not offer solutions. …you have to show your difference,” Eren said and added that if the opposition parties could not meet on a common ground with them, the HDP was not bound to act in unison with the alliance.

Eren also commented on a possible candidacy of CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and said that what he has offered until now did not meet HDP's expectations. "He needs to go far beyond that," Eren said.

Jailed Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas also said that when designating a joint candidate against the ruling bloc in next year’s elections in Turkey, the opposition parties should prioritize a shared mentality rather than trying to find a suitable person.