‘Walking woman’ arrives in Ankara to hand in manifesto against election threshold

ANKARA

Aylin Kotil (3rd L) arrived in the Kazan district of the capital city of Ankara on July 25. AA photo

Aylin Kotil, “the walking woman” who has been on a solitary march from Istanbul to Ankara to protest the 10 percent election threshold, arrived in the Kazan district of the capital city of Ankara on July 25.

“During the walk, I have seen that the people are more interested in democracy than the politicians. I have seen the least expected people are discontent over the election threshold. Turkey has to become more democratic,” Kotil was quoted as saying by Anadolu Agency upon her arrival in Kazan, where she was greeted by members of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

“This is a government that talks about democracy so much, but if they do not lower the election threshold, they should not speak of democracy any more. Because it would be hypocrisy. I will walk to Brussels if necessary,” she said.

On July 29, Kotil, who is a member of the CHP, will arrive at Parliament after 22 days of marching, to meet with the deputy parliamentary group chairs of the four political parties and hand them her manifesto to remove the election threshold.