YSP rebrands as HEDEP

ANKARA 

The Green Left Party (YSP) has rebranded itself as the People's Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP) with Tülay Hatimoğulları Oruç and Tuncer Bakırhan taking the helm as co-chairs.

"The Green Left Party undertook a historical mission... and fulfilled this responsibility as an HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) component," co-spokesperson İbrahim Akın said during the party's fourth regular congress at Ankara Atatürk Sport Hall on Oct. 15.

The transformation comes amid turbulent times for the pro-Kurdish HDP, which faces the looming threat of a ban by the Constitution Court due to alleged links to the PKK. During the May elections, it strategically nominated its parliamentary candidates on the YSP lists, garnering nearly 5 million votes.

In an extraordinary convention held on Aug. 27, HDP co-chairs Mithat Sancar and Pervin Buldan resigned from their positions to continue their political journey under the YSP. The HDP subsequently elected Sultan Özcan and Cahit Kırkazak as its new co-chairs.

A verdict on the case is pending, requiring a two-thirds majority vote from the 15 judges at the top court for the party to be banned.