As the local elections approach, the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has chosen to engage in a limited number of collaborations.
Having fielded a candidate for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), the DEM Party reached a consensus with the CHP in only a very small number of electoral districts.
The DEM Party, which will not field candidates in Mersin and Manisa—the two metropolitan cities left to the MHP within the People's Alliance—has decided not to field candidates in 22 districts in Istanbul, primarily Esenyurt.
According to a report by Gazete Duvar, DEM Party members, stating that they have engaged in a very limited number of collaborations in the local elections, explained the reasons for this with the following words: “Our concern is not to make the CHP lose or to make the AK Party win. First, our voters wanted us to field our own candidates. Second, while cooperation within the opposition was important in the last two elections, the risk of our voters developing a habit of voting for the CHP logo is a major problem for us. Third, the mayors who win as a result of cooperation pursue their own policies. We do not want the shadow of rent-seeking relationships occurring in municipalities we do not manage to fall upon us. The local election will be an election where we explain ourselves and our policies to society, strengthen our organizational structure, and prepare for 2028.”
News Source: 12punto
