Turkey’s top election authority restores newly elected pro-Kurdish mayor’s right to hold office

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s highest election authority has restored a newly elected pro-Kurdish mayor’s right to hold office. Wednesday’s decision overturned an earlier one that revoked the mayor’s mandate and led to protests and arrests. Abdullah Zeydan, a politician from the pro-Kurdish Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM, won the post of mayor in the eastern city of Van in Sunday’s local election. But a court said Zeydan, who has spent time in prison, was not eligible to run and he was replaced by the runner-up in the race, from the ruling party. That sparked protests in Van and other other cities. The High Electoral Board, which considered an appeal by DEM, reinstated him as mayor on Wednesday.