Demirtas calls for Erdogan to step down before ‘historic defeat’
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Imprisoned Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and called for him to step down in a series of tweets on March 17.
The tweets began with a photo showing the prices of basic staples in Turkey, like eggs and milk, accompanied by a post by Demirtas, saying “Turkey is crying blood on an empty stomach … AKP is the disaster of the century.”
Since this time in 2021, Turkey has seen its currency depreciate by nearly 200 percent against the dollar, plunging the country into poverty. The earthquakes that rocked the country’s south on February 6 have added an additional burden.
Hours after the first tweet, Demirtas posted a picture of the president, saying “you don’t have a diploma. You are not eligible for re-nomination,” referring to the fact that Erdogan is running for a third term as president despite the fact that Turkey’s constitution limits these to two.
“You are responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, you have no shame. You have plunged the country into poverty,” the tweet continued. The government’s handling of the earthquakes has been criticized for its slow start and corruption by many.
A third post encouraged the president to step down before he “experiences a historic defeat.”
Demirtas was imprisoned by the Erdogan government in 2016 on what human rights groups have deemed trumped-up charges. He has since remained vocal about Turkish politics on Twitter, where he posts through his lawyers.
The Kurdish politician has also made clear statements in support of the main opposition leader, the CHP’s Kemal Kilicdaroglu, calling for him to become “the joint candidate for all the opposition.”
Kilicdaroglu has yet to sit down with HDP politicians, which have been left out of the ‘Table of Six’ opposition coalition. Right-wing elements within the group, such as the IYI party, have so far rejected cooperation with the pro-Kurdish HDP.
Some elements within the CHP, such as MP Unal Cevikoz, have suggested that Demirtas would be released if the CHP-led coalition were to take the presidency in the coming May 14 elections.