Turkey’s upcoming legislative election is featuring unusual candidates. Nil Demirkazik is campaigning in Diyarbakir on donkey-back to defend the rights of Kurds. Folk song superstar Ibrahim Tatlises is running on the list of the populist Youth Party. Tatlises (his name, appropriately, means “sweet voice”) is known for his macho antics. Two Olympic legends are also running for seats in the legislature. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Naim Suleymanoglu is running as a candidate for the extreme right-wing Nationalist Action Party. He is considered by many the greatest weightlifter pound for pound the world has seen and is nicknamed “Pocket Hercules.” The ruling AK party has countered by fielding legendary eight-time European and double Olympic Greco-roman champion Hamza Yerlikaya, named in 1996 wrestler of the century by the sport’s world governing body, FILA.
OFFBEAT CANDIDATES IN TURKISH POLLS
Turkey’s upcoming legislative election is featuring unusual candidates. Nil Demirkazik is campaigning in Diyarbakir on donkey-back to defend the rights of Kurds. Folk song superstar Ibrahim Tatlises is running on the list of the populist Youth Party.
