Turkey’s second biggest opposition bloc officially announces support for Kılıçdaroğlu

Duvar English

The Labor and Freedom Alliance, Turkey's second largest opposition coalition, on April 28 declared that they will are supporting the main opposition Nation Alliance’s candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for the presidential elections scheduled for May 14.

In a joint statement, the Alliance stated, "In this historic election, we once again call on the people of Turkey to vote for the Labor and Freedom Alliance in the parliamentary elections and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the presidential elections."

The Labor and Freedom Alliance includes the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Green Left Party, Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), Labor Party (EMEP), Social Freedom Party (TÖP), Workers' Movement Party (EHP) and Socialist Assemblies Federation (SMF). The Green Left party became the HDP’s back-up party in the upcoming elections over closure risk. 

The parties said that winning the presidential election is not the only way to achieve “victory against fascism,” and added, “One of the most important channels to roll back fascism is to ensure a majority in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.” 

The Alliance called for all “the oppressed, ignored, disenfranchised, and exploited” to vote for them in order to be represented and became the decision-maker in the parliament.

Four politicians are officially running in Turkey's 2023 presidential elections: ruling People’s Alliance candidate President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Kılıçdaroğlu, Homeland Party leader Muharrem İnce, and far-right ATA Alliance’s candidate Sinan Oğan.