Tension is rising as we head towards LOCAL elections, or rather ISTANBUL elections. After President Erdogan emerged victorious from the ballots in MAY, the significance and depth of ISTANBUL became more important. Although we may not see it the same way or evaluate what’s happening on the same equation, the struggle was significant. In fact, the first step for the elections came with PKK attacks. While unprecedented attacks by the PKK in snow and cold were unseen, the terrorist organization targeted base areas in Northern Iraq at the beginning of JANUARY.<\/p>\n
Two attacks were carried out. We had martyrs. At the same time, a surprise candidacy move for ISTANBUL came from Selahattin Demirtas’ wife, Basak Demirtas. Then KANDIL came into play. Terrorists were sent to the Caglayan Courthouse. Some names were killed, and actions were seen in mosques. US bases in the region became breathless due to armed drone attacks. Yasar Guler to Hakan Fidan and Ibrahim Kalin made important visits to Northern Iraq.<\/p>\n
So, what was happening? The answer to this question was important, critical even, to understand both the elections and ISTANBUL! Let’s open up…<\/p>\n
Basak Demirtas stepped forward with a surprise move. She took an unexpected step and said, “Our party DEM Party has not yet received a proposal for the ISTANBUL candidacy. If the people demand it and if our party finds it appropriate, and if we believe it will pave the way for democracy and social peace, we can consider it.” This was a very critical move. It meant the dissolution of the components of even the secret and overtly established TABLE of Kemal Kilicdaroglu and the separation of paths with DEM. It was clear how much support Demirtas gave to the table in the May 14 elections. Demirtas, who posted on his social media account, “May Allah bless Turkiye’s 13th President Mr. Kilicdaroglu” announced that he would vote for Kilicdaroglu with the words “I believe with all my heart that you will end the division, restore social peace, and bring prosperity and peace to Turkiye.”<\/p>\n
HDP was leaning towards an ALLIANCE when it blocked its own candidacy path. When the desired results did not come, DEMIRTAS announced that he would quit and withdraw from politics. This move from Basak Demirtas came on top of this traffic. Basak Demirtas’s move brought great controversy. Galip Ensarioglu became the agenda with his statement during the period when Basak Demirtas’s DEM Party Istanbul candidacy was discussed, saying, “If Basak Demirtas becomes a candidate, the issue of Imamoglu is closed.” Mrs. Demirtas would clearly make Imamoglu lose. Everyone who controlled the political pulse agreed. But, one hand intervened. Both Selahattin Demirtas and his wife were pushed aside. They were told to “Continue” the alliance with CHP. While waiting for whether Basak Demirtas would be a candidate or not, I shared the sentences meaning “It’s not easy. Don’t be sure until you see the result” here. And so it happened.<\/p>\n
MUSTAFA KARASU, one of the most important figures of the PKK in EUROPE, who participated in the negotiations in OSLO, made a statement. Karasu said, “It is necessary to carry out this struggle by uniting with the democracy forces in Turkiye, strengthening alliances, embracing existing alliances, and valuing alliances. Everyone should be sensitive about alliance and cooperation…” and said “STOP” to Basak Demirtas.<\/p>\n