2018 Selahattin Demirtaş presidential campaign

Selahattin Demirtaş was officially announced as the candidate of the People's Democratic Party (HDP) on 4 May 2018, after members of the party had hinted at his candidacy weeks in advance.^{[citation needed]} Party leader Pervin Buldan declared that Demirtaş, a jailed former co-chair of the HDP, would be leading a five-party "Kurdish alliance" into the general election.^[1]

Program

Selahattin Demirtaş's campaign being launched outside Edirne prison where he is incarcerated, 25 May

• Defending “No” for the 2017 Turkish constitutional referendum
  • 18 proposed amendments to the Constitution of Turkey
    (Full details)
• More Minority and Women’s rights
• Building a country without Capitalism
• The support of Turkish membership of the European Union

Foreign policy

On European Union–Turkey relations, Demirtaş is known for his long-time support for Turkey’s EU accession process, focusing on the pledge to uphold human rights, local democracy, separation of powers and the rule of law as the main tenets of his future presidency. He distinguishes himself from other candidates in his unwavering criticism of what he sees as Brussels's neo-liberal economic agenda.^[2]

Election Result

Party Representation

Notes

1. Supported by the left-wing political parties and groups of the HDK

References

1. "HDP nominates imprisoned former leader Demirtaş for presidency". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
2. Doğa Ulaş Eralp (30 May 2018). "What do Turkey's other presidential candidates think about the EU?". Ahval. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2018.