Meet Istanbul’s LGBTI Candidates

bianet has reached the final list of candidates with LGBTI background who will be running on the upcoming municipal assembly elections in Istanbul on March 30. 

In the beginning, 3 candidates would run from Republican People’s Party (CHP), 4 from People’s Democratic Party (HDP). 

Later on, CHP removed one candidate from the main list and put another one to 27^th row. 

HDP, on the other hand, put its LGBTI candidates on the upper rows. 

While Şişli province houses the majority of LGBTI population in Turkey, CHP’s decision to remove its LGBTI candidate from the main list was received with criticism and a hashtag #meclistelgbti (#lgbtisintheassembly). 

“We are aware of LBGTI people’s leadership role during the Gezi Resistance. We will do our best to resolve your issues,” CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said previously while receiving LGBTI representatives at the parliament. 

The aforementioned reception attracted LGBTI population to CHP with media saying that CHP had an “LGBTI opening”. 

Candidates

The names and party affiliations of municipal assembly candidates with LGBTI background were listed as follows: 

CHP’s LGBTI Municipal Assembly Candidates:

* Çelik Özdemir - Beyoğlu 12^th row 

* Sedef Çakmak - Beşiktaş 27^th row 

* Boysan Yakar - Şişli – Associate list 

HDP’s LGBTI Municipal Assembly Candidates:

* Asya Elmas - Kadıköy 2^nd row 

* Ebru Kırancı - Beyoğlu 4^th row

* Niler Albayrak - Avcılar 2^nd row 

* Şevval Kılıç - Şişli 2nd row (ÇT/BM)