Turkey: Political parties target LGBTIQ+ people in local election campaigns

Ahead of local elections to be held in March 2024, different political parties have targeted LGBTIQ+ people in their campaigns.

As part of its “Moral Municipality” campaign, on January 25, Yeniden Refah (New Welfare Party) released a video with the slogan “If there is no morality, there is LGBTI, we will eliminate perverted organisations from our city!” on social media platforms. In response, the Human Rights Association (IHD) LGBTİ+ Rights Commission filed a criminal complaint with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against the Yeniden Refah Party.

At a congress held on January 28, Birol Aydın, the mayoral candidate of Istanbul from the Saadet Party (Felicity Party), directed discriminatory remarks towards the LGBTI+ community in his speech, scapegoating them for various socio-economic grievances.

See: Kaosgl, Kaosgl