Friday, May 12, 2023

‘All hopes are riding on the election’: Alevi minority yearns for change ahead of Turkish vote

Issued on: 12/05/2023 - 
01:36
Quake-stricken members of Turkey's Alevi minority say they have been abandoned by the state. © FRANCE 24 screengrab

Text by: Nadia MASSIH

Video by: Julie DUNGELHOFF|Nadia MASSIH

From our special correspondents in Iskenderun, Turkey – With just two days to go ahead of Turkey’s high-stakes presidential and parliamentary elections, the country is at a crossroads. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking an unprecedented third term in power but is facing a serious challenge in the shape of Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a member of the Muslim Alevi minority that has long faced discrimination and is yearning for change.

The opposition candidate’s faith and origins have been major talking points during the campaign – an unthinkable prospect in past decades, when Alevis faced significant discrimination and even persecution. His promise to build a more inclusive nation has resonated with a community that feels abandoned by the state and has tired of Erdogan's 20-year rule.

Ahead of the vote, our reporters Julie Dungelhoeff, Mohammed Farhat and Nadia Massih went to meet Alevis who survived February's devastating earthquakes – to listen to their stories and hear their hopes for Turkey’s future. Click on the player above to watch their report from the quake-stricken port city of Iskenderun.

>> Read more: ‘All we’re asking is to be recognised’: the Alevis of Turkey struggle for equality

No comments:

Post a Comment