Demirtaş says another Erdoğan era would be a ‘disaster in economy and democracy’

Renowned Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş has warned citizens that if President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stays in power for another five years, there will be “a disaster in economy and democracy.” The former HDP co-chair reiterated his support for the opposition’s presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

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Jailed former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş has called on citizens to go to the ballot boxes on May 28 and vote for the opposition Nation Alliance’s presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

“If change does not come out of the (ballot) boxes, there will be a disaster in economy and democracy. And there is no third round of this thing! Let’s make Mr. Kılıçdaorğlu the President and let Turkey breathe. Go the ballot boxes, give one vote for one breath,” Demirtaş tweeted on May 26.

Demirtaş has been in prison since November 2016, along with several other former HDP MPs. As part of the mass arrests following the July 2016 coup attempt, they were charged with spreading “terrorist propaganda” for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). 

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