Turkish autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said in a speech he delivered to neighbourhood heads (mukhtars) on Thursday that “(Main opposition Republican People’s Party) CHP imposes a gay quota for the election to be made at District Municipality Neighborhood Committees. May Allah lead them to the right path.”
According to a report by Bianet, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) chair and President Erdoğan has said at 41st neighbourhood chiefs’ meeting at Presidential Palace in Ankara that “A party bearing the ‘main opposition party’ title has become so distant from our nation that now the CHP imposes a gay quota in the ratio of one fifth for the election to be made at District Municipality Neighborhood Committees. When a party loses its restrain, it is driven away like this.”
President Erdoğan has targeted Nilüfer Municipality under CHP administration, which is the first municipality that established Equality Index in Turkey. The municipality had also started to implement 50 percent women quota years ago. Embracing “social municipality” model showing regard to women, disabled people and disadvantaged groups, Bursa Nilüfer Mayor Mustafa Bozbey signed LGBTI Friendly Municipality Protocol. Later on, Nilüfer City Council embraced the quota implementation for women, young people, LGBTIs and disabled people.
Criticizing the positive discrimination by municipality’s neighborhood-wise committees towards LGBTI candidates, Şehir Bursa newspaper claimed that “The residents of the town are furious at the LGBTI quota,” and targeted the municipality.
