Pro-Kurdish party in Turkey to change leadership

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Sultan Özcan and Cahit Kırkazak will be introduced as the new co-chairs of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) party at the upcoming congress upcoming Sunday.

This decision comes after the current HDP Co-chairs, Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, declared that they would not be seeking re-election for the co-chair positions, paving the way for Sultan Özcan and Cahit Kırkazak to succeed them.

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Moreover, due to the potential risk of closure due an ongoing court case, the HDP has decided to transfer its operations to the Green Left Party.

The HDP has been facing a closure case since June 2021.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has accused the HDP of having ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey. The HDP has denied the links.

Sultan Özcan has a history of holding various roles within the HDP, including his most recent role as Co-spokesperson of the HDP Committee on Relations with NGOs and political parties.

On the other hand, Cahit Kirkazak has been involved as one of the legal representatives in the Kobani trial and has also served as a member of the Green Left Party Central Executive Board.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party is already preparing for the upcoming Turkish local elections scheduled for March 24, after winning the parliament and presidential elections last May. This despite Kurdish support for the opposition.

The HDP in the March 2019 elections supported Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidates in Istanbul, Ankara, and other municipalities in Western Turkey, defeating AKP candidates. Now Erdogan is preparing to take back Istanbul and Ankara from the CHP.