"Kurdish politicians excluded from Turkey elections
Thomas Seibert
ISTANBUL // The credibility of Turkey's upcoming parliamentary elections has been damaged after the electoral commission in Ankara excluded leading Kurdish politicians from standing as deputies.
'This is not a decision that can be tolerated by a democratic conscience,' Mehmet Ali Sahin, the speaker of parliament, said on Tuesday. 'This decision has weakened the mission of parliament.' Mr Sahin called on the High Electoral Council, or YSK, the independent body charged with organising the elections on June 12, to review its decision. Politicians of all stripes also criticised the election board for what they said was an undemocratic decision; some called the ruling a 'shame'."
More:Kurdish politicians excluded from Turkey elections - The National
