The 2023 Parliament Elections in Türkiye and the Kurdish Question

The Kurdish Question is central to Türkiye's domestic politics and political alignment. The paper examines the role of the Kurdish electorate in the 2023 parliamentary and presidential elections in Türkiye and analyzes the results. This paper locates the Kurdish Question within the larger electoral trajectory of the country by exploring the historical political participation of the Kurds. The paper discusses the 2023 elections that marked a significant flashpoint in the country's electoral trajectory with the notable decline in electoral support of the pro-Kurdish parties. By looking at the geographical and ideological diversity of the Kurdish voters, the paper elucidates on shifting political alliances and their respective engagement with national politics. Furthermore, it argues that the electoral mobility of Türkiye supports the instrumentalisation of the Kurdish Question, where electoral strategies take importance over more significant policy issues. Without the right-based approach to political inclusion, Türkiye's engagement with its Kurdish population will likely depend on short-term political calculations rather than long-term democratic integration.