The number of oppositions to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan-led Justice and Development Party (AKP) is growing; something that is observed well from the announcement of the establishment of the second breakaway party of the ruling party. The establishment of the Democratic and Development Party or DEVA, led by Ali Babajan, a former senior official in the Justice and Development Party, was officially announced on March 11, 2020. Earlier, the Future Party, led by Ahmed Davutoglu, a founding and senior member of the AKP, was officially formed and attracted a significant number of Erdogan's party members. The two breakaway parties are among the critics of the AKP policies, especially its Kurdish issue policy.

Dr. Levin told Kurdpress about the approach of the two new parties to the Kurdish issue that "I think the two new parties, led by Ahmed Davutoglu or Ali Babanjan, will take a softer stance in dealing with Kurdish issues and negotiating with the opposition Kurds. I know that Babajan has already held talks with experts on Kurdish issues. However, both Ali Babajan and Abdullah Gul, his main guide and adviser, are conservative politicians and no major steps should be expected from them on the Kurdish issue."

He specifically pointed to Davutoglu, stating that “As for Davutoglu, his opposition to Erdogan's tough policy against the PKK was even spread to the Turkish public in 2016, and he has recently blamed Erdogan's alliance with the Turkish National Movement Party (MHP).”

The director of Turkish Centre Studies at the University of Sweden said a problem of the two parties is their inability to attract the votes of Turkish nationalists. "However, none of the new parties will be able to win the nationalists the way Erdogan has managed, and this is important when the policies affect the Kurdish issue.”

However, the university expert stressed that the two parties’ efforts to attract the support of the Kurds could change Erdogan's stance on the Kurds and the Kurdish issue.

Dr. Levin said: "If they (the two parties) want to have the conservative Kurds with them who are supports of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, this may bring about a change in Erdogan's calculations, especially his Kurdish policy.”

The professor doubts the two new parties will be able to make a major change in Turkey’s Kurdish issue, stating that "however, the two new parties are not able to make a big change in Turkey Kurdish issue; especially as it is Recep Tayyip Erdogan who makes the main decision about the Kurdish issue, and he is the main decision-maker in this regard.”

Reporter’s code: 50101