Nibras Khudaida is a research assistant in The Washington Institute's Turkish Research Program.
Articles & Testimony
Erdogan knows that a flourishing opposition could mean his political demise.
In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan finds his popularity at an all-time low since he assumed power two decades ago. Although the next national elections are not scheduled until 2023, Erdogan knows that a flourishing opposition could result in his political demise. Thus, the president has shown a willingness to crack down more harshly than ever on his political opponents, chief among them the pro-Kurdish, liberal Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). In the accompanying chart and text, Turkey expert Soner Cagaptay along with Umut Can Fidan and Nibras Khudaida detail the challenges faced by HDP politicians, many of whom have been jailed, dismissed, or otherwise undermined by the national leadership.
