Peace remains a key issue in Turkey's Diyarbakir ahead of elections

A key question ahead of Turkey's elections on June 24 is who will the country's Kurds vote for?

People watch a video on a smartphone announcing the first election rally of Selahattin Demirtas, jailed former leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP). The HDP posted the video to social media. It shows Demirtas' wife Basak Demirtas in Diyarbakir with her relatives, talking to her husband by phone, on June 6, 2018.
AFP

People watch a video on a smartphone announcing the first election rally of Selahattin Demirtas, jailed former leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP). The HDP posted the video to social media. It shows Demirtas' wife Basak Demirtas in Diyarbakir with her relatives, talking to her husband by phone, on June 6, 2018.

Turkey is preparing to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections later this month. In the eastern part of the country, one of the key issues is stopping violence linked to the PKK terror group. Voters are asking if the violence will continue, or there will be a political solution?

Turkey has the largest ethnically Kurdish population in the region, nearly 15 million of its 80 million population, about 19 percent.

Their vote will play a crucial role in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24.

In the past, the Kurdish vote has predominantly gone to the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party and the People’s Democratic Party (HDP).

TRT World's Omer Kablan reports on prospects this time, from Diyarbakir.

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