What Kılıçdaroğlu-Özdağ deal implies about removal of elected mayors in Kurdish cities

Photo: AA

Ahead of the presidential runoff vote to take place on Sunday, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, rival of the incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has secured the support of the far-right Victory (Zafer) Party.

The two leaders today signed a protocol outlining their cooperation, which focuses on fighting "terrorism" and sending back refugees.

The protocol also sheds light on the approach towards mayors from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and their replacement by government-appointed "trustees."

The HDP, in the 2019 local elections, won 65 municipalities in cities, districts, and towns. However, the Ministry of Interior has replaced the elected HDP mayors in all but six district municipalities, citing "terrorism-related" investigations. This action has resulted in the appointment of "trustees" to govern these municipalities, and in some cases, led to the imprisonment of the dismissed mayors.

This practice has drawn international condemnation, including from the Council of Europe, which said last year that it undermines democracy in Turkey, noting that the investigations against the local officials were based on a "broad definition" of terrorism.

The Kılıçdaroğlu-Özdağ protocol states that the practice of appointing state officials instead of local administrative officials will continue as part of their pledge to wage "an effective and resolute fight against all terrorist organizations."

However, there is a subtle distinction between the current practice and the protocol. Currently, under the Municipal Law, if a local administrator is under investigation on "terrorism-related" charges, the Interior Ministry has the authority to dismiss them. On the other hand, the protocol suggests that local administrators with "proven connections to terrorism" can be removed from their positions, indicating that judicial decisions will be sought for their removal.

Since the ministry is given the authority by the law, implementing this provision of the protocol will require a legal amendment. Nevertheless, the ruling People's Alliance secured a parliamentary majority in the May 14 vote, which means they could obstruct such a legal amendment even if Kılıçdaroğlu wins the presidency in the second round.

Ahead of the first round of the election, Kılıçdaroğlu had repeatedly stressed that he was against the dismissal of mayors. Also, Kılıçdaroğlu and his five allied leaders, also known as the "Table of Six," pledged in a January memorandum to end the practice.

Does Kılıçdaroğlu risk losing Kurdish votes?

The significance of this agreement becomes more apparent when considering the electoral landscape. In the first round of the presidential vote, Kılıçdaroğlu achieved a landslide victory against Erdoğan in Kurdish-majority provinces where the HDP is traditionally strong.

Notably, in the May 14 election, the HDP participated under the banner of the Green Left Party, which endorsed Kılıçdaroğlu in the first round and continues to support him in the second round. The HDP took the decision due to an ongoing closure case against it over its alleged ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The HDP and the Green Left have convened their central executive committees to assess the situation and will issue a public statement afterward, as announced by the Green Left on Twitter a few hours after Özdağ and Kılıçdaroğlu's press conference.

It remains to be seen whether Kılıçdaroğlu's agreement with the ultranationalist leader will discourage the Kurdish voters from supporting him in the runoff election. (VK)