Big love in Turkey
News broke on March 16 that the People’s Democracy Party (HDP) had approved the applications of three polygamous candidates in the eastern province of Hakkari. This was intriguing because only a week earlier the HDP, the party known for bolstering women’s rights and equality, had announced that men with a history of rape, sexual or physical harassment or those in polygamous marriages would be rejected to apply for candidacy in the June general elections. This controversy caused uproar in social media. Al-Monitor contacted several high-level HDP officials and the prospective candidates in Hakkari. Polygamy has been illegal in Turkey since 1926, making this is a sensitive issue. While HDP candidates declined to answer any questions, HDP officials told Al-Monitor that it is unlikely these prospective candidates will be appointed as HDP nominees in the upcoming elections.
More:Big love in Turkey - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
