Pro-Kurdish HDP Continues To Back Kılıçdaroğlu Despite Nationalist Turn

The pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP), which sits as the Green Left Party in parliament, has reiterated its support for main opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu ahead of the 28 May presidential run-off. Party head Previn Buldan stated that "We will go to the polls in full and together we will change the one-man regime [referring to incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]."

• This comes in spite of Kılıçdaroğlu using more nationalist rhetoric since the 14 May first round in an attempt to win over voters from both Erdoğan and third-placed ultranationalist candidate Sinan Oğan (who has since endorsed Erdoğan).
• Oğan was unable to bring his entire Ancestral Alliance with him in backing Erdoğan, with the far-right anti-immigration Victory Party endorsing Kılıçdaroğlu over the past week.
• While the HDP's support remains important for Kılıçdaroğlu, he still faces a steep challenge in defeating Erdoğan, who fell just short of a first-round win with 49.5% of the vote.
• In order to oust the incumbent Kılıçdaroğlu will be relying on a sizeable upswing in support from heavily Kurdish regions and in the pro-opposition major cities, as well as many Erdoğan voters remaining at home and Oğan supporters breaking with their candidate to back Kılıçdaroğlu.