‘Walking woman’ meets main opposition CHP and BDP

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Kotil marched for 19 days to protest the 10 percent election threshold. AA photo

After finishing her 19-day march from Istanbul to Ankara to protest the 10 percent election threshold, Aylin Kotil, “the walking woman,” has met representatives of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), of which she is a member, and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), receiving support from both of the parties for her cause.

“I walked 880,000 steps. I expect the parties in Parliament to take one too,” Kotil said. At both meetings held July 29, she urged the parties to take the initiative in eliminating the threshold. “Lifting the election threshold is a test of sincerity. Therefore I invite the prime minister to take this sincerity test. If not, I think someone who constantly says ‘advanced democracy’ should no longer speak about democracy.”

During the meeting with Kotil, CHP parliamentary group deputy chair Engin Altay responded to her comment. “You expressed it as a lack of sincerity; I would like to add to this the lack of principles.”

“They try the coup generals, [even] those on their death beds, but hanging onto a law they brought, taking refuge behind them, and even playing with the election regions by contracting and stretching [districts] to protect their political power do not make up a mentality that can be accepted in democracies, for us” Altay said, expressing support for Kotil.

Similarly, during the meeting with Kotil, BDP parliamentary group deputy chair Pervin Buldan voiced their support for the removal of the election threshold. “The election threshold is taking away the people’s right to representation in Parliament.” The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) did not accept Kotil’s request for a meeting, aides to Kotil told the Hürriyet Daily News.