Sancar: "The day is the day to enlarge the joint struggle"

HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) co-chair Mithat Sancar called on the opposition to "rally around the goals of democracy, justice and freedom to inspire hope," following an extraordinary meeting of the Central Executive Committee of his party where they discussed alliance policies after nationalist Good Party left the main opposition bloc.

"The day is the day of hope and joint struggle. The HDP is aware of the responsibility it faces and is determined to fulfill it. No one despairs and no one is unsettled," he said.

Good Party leader Meral Aksener on Friday announced her party's withdrawal from the opposition bloc, saying they would not bow to pressure to accept Kilicdaroglu as the opposition's joint candidate.

In a video posted on social media hours after Aksener's announcement, Kilicdaroglu signaled that more parties would join their alliance, saying "the table needs to expand".

HDP earlier announced it would run its own candidate fır the presidential elections but said it would reconsider this decision after massive earthquakes that hit Turkey on Feb. 6.

Sancar said that the HDP will take responsible decisions to ensure the demands for peace and democracy of the peoples of Turkey.

“We aim to win the [support of] 85 million," he added.

The third largest party with 12% nationwide support, the HDP, is not part of the National Alliance. But in 2019, its mainly Kurdish supporters helped the alliance to a surprise victory in mayoral elections in Istanbul, Ankara, and other cities.

Polls conducted before the Good party split suggested that HDP voters would have to support the National Alliance to topple Erdogan and win a majority in parliament from his ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) and its nationalist ally, the MHP (Nationalist Movement Party.)

For years, HDP has faced a government crackdown and possible ban over alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group, which it denies. In January a court froze its bank accounts, cutting its financial lifeline before the vote expected on May 14.