Turkey’s first Roma and Yazidi representatives to enter parliament

Turkey’s Roma and Yazidi populations will be represented in parliament for the first time, as main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Roma candidate Özcan Purçu and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Yazidi candidates Feleknas Uca and Ali Atalan all secured seats in the June 7 elections.

Speaking to the press, Purçu underlined his party’s votes increased threefold in İzmir’s Roma neighborhoods, but expressed resentment over the nationwide results.

“To us, the outcome of the elections is bittersweet. We were expecting to get over thirty percent of the votes,” Purçu said, while adding how proud he was to become Turkey’s first Roma deputy. 

Purçu was nominated in the 2011 general elections as well, but he could not get elected as he was CHP’s eleventh candidate in the second district.

In an interview on May 6, Purçu pledged to solve the “five major problems” of the Roma community: Education, unemployment, accommodation, discrimination and prejudice...
   hurriyetdailynews.com
8/6/15
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