17 June 2019 - 23:01

HDP backs opposition’s Imamoglu in Istanbul election rerun: co-leader

<p style="text-align: left;">The co-leader of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish Peoples&rsquo; Democratic Party (HDP) has declared support for the secular main opposition candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, in the June 23 rerun of the election for a new mayor of Istanbul, the pro-government Sabah newspaper reported.

Sezai Temelli called on supporters to back Imamoglu in the vote, which the electoral authority ordered to be held again after the ruling Islamists alleged ballot irregularities.

Imamoglu had initially been declared winner of the March 31 mayoral election by a narrow margin.

The Kurdish vote is widely thought to have played a big part in Imamoglu’s apparent initial win and could prove decisive in the rerun of the vote.

Reporter’s code: 50101

News Code 36443