Political Parties Hunting Famous Women

Many of the women candidates that parties have put forward are famous. The list includes Eksioglu, Sertel, Arat, Vidinli, Sevindi, Kısaparmak, Zana, Kepoglu, and Yalcindag. Some of them have already announced their candidature.

İstanbul

Now that an election date has been set, there has been a wave of artists, journalists and bureaucrats standing as candidates. There are also female candidates; among them are Seyhan Eksioglu, the former president of the Association to Support and Educate Women Candidates (Ka-Der), Suna Kepoğlu, rumoured to be placed to compete with Leyla Zana, the writer Nevval Sevindi, and Prof. Dr. Necla Arat, a co-organiser of the "Republican rallies".

Here is an overview of famous women candidates:

Seyhan Eksioglu: A lawyer, she has resigned from her position at Ka-Der and is standing for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Prof. Dr. Necla Arat and Prof. Dr. Nur Sertel: Co-organisers of the "Republican rallies", they have become candidates for the centre-left Republican People's Party (CHP). The party's chairman has publicly welcomed their candidature.

Sebnem Kisaparmak: TV presenter Kisaparmak has become a candidate for the centre-right True Path Party (DYP). In a press briefing she has mentioned Istanbul or Kastamonu as possible constituencies.

Suna Kepoglu: Kepoglu from rural Diyarbakır is known as the "female agha" of the Kepoglu tribe. As a candidate for DYP, she has been chosen to compete with Leyla Zana and Reyhan Yalçındağ, who are both from the East of Turkey, too.

Nevval Sevindi: Journalist Sevindi has announced her candidature for the Democratic Party (DP), the recent amalgamation of the centre-right Motherland (ANAP) and True Path (DYP) parties. She is well-known for her newspaper articles, a book of interviews with religious leader Fethullah Gülen, and her support of women's and cancer patients' rights.

Suna Vidinli: TV presenter Vidinli became well-known for her questions directed at French MP Francois Rochebloin in a discussion of the Armenian Genocide.

Leyla Zana and Reyhan Yalcindag: Former MP Zana, who was imprisoned for 11 years, will stand for the Kurdish-interest party DTP. Another woman who is expected to become a candidate for DTP is Reyhan Yalcindag, the vice-president of the Association of Human Rights. Yalcindag is also the wife of Osman Baydemir, the mayor of the south-eastern city of Diyarbakır, who is well-known for his campaigns to improve Kurdish cultural rights. (AÖ/AG)