What do the local elections in Turkey mean for the representation of women and the LGBTQ community?
By Allie Nawrat | Friday 18th April 2014 | Web Exclusive
At the end of March, Turkey held local elections with victory for the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the party of the current Prime Minister, Erdogan. Surprisingly enough, the number of female mayors rose by 30%, with one notably receiving the highest recorded proportion of the vote in a mayoral election where both men and women were running. Women were also seen for the first time in metropolitan municipalities. This local election was also the first time the LGBTQ community actively engaged in mainstream politics. The community gained one seat on a municipal council. Apparently, this is because the increasing number and influence of LGBTQ NGOs has improved how seriously the Turkish population views them.
More:What do the local elections in Turkey mean for the representation of women and the LGBTQ community? | Nouse