A political taboo has been broken in the prelude to the May presidential elections in Turkey. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chief rival, has spoken out about being an Alevi – a member of a progressive Islamic sect targeted by centuries of discrimination and violence. The move is regarded as a significant and potentially dangerous political gamble.
On YouTube, Kilicdaroglu, addressing first-time voters, declared his Alevi religious identity and that society should treat all beliefs equally.
