Syria incursion delivers limited boost to Turkey’s Erdogan

Source:Financial Times Date:18Nov2019

The military incursion into Kurdish-held areas of Syria tested that alliance. The CHP was one of several opposition parties to support the operation, while the HDP vehemently opposed it and has found itself on the receiving end of a fresh crackdown by authorities on Turkey’s Kurdish community.

Officials from both the CHP and HDP insist that they can overcome this difference on Syria and will campaign together at the next presidential election. “For democracy, we have to do it,” HDP’s Mr Baris said.

They are likely to be joined in the ranks of the opposition by at least two new parties. Former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu and former deputy prime minister Ali Babacan, both of whom served for years in Mr Erdogan’s governments, each plan to establish parties before the end of the year and ultimately capture votes from the president’s base, according to people familiar with their plans.