Türkİye, Politics

What's next after planned early elections in Turkey?

After parliament decides on election bill, it will be published in official gazette without being approved by president

19.04.2018 - Update : 20.04.2018
What's next after planned early elections in Turkey?

By Coskun Ergul

ANKARA

The early election bill jointly prepared by Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will be discussed in the parliament and if accepted, it will be published in the official gazette.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday a plan to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, over a year before they had been scheduled, in November 2019.

The bill on holding early elections was submitted to the office of Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman on Wednesday.

The election proposal will be discussed in the parliament and if accepted, it will be published in the official gazette without being approved by the president.

On April 16, 2017, Turkey held a referendum on a constitutional reform in which the majority of voters pronounced themselves in favor of an 18-article bill switching a parliamentary system into a presidential one.

Under the constitutional reform, the number of lawmakers in the parliament will rise to 600 from 550, the presidential and the parliamentary elections will be held after every five years and the elected president will not be bound to cut ties with his or her party.

The political parties or alliance which received at least five percent of vote in last elections or 100,000 voters could nominate their candidate for the presidency.

A simple majority in the parliament will be needed to request the opening of an investigation against the president over the suspicion of a crime.

Vice presidents and ministers can be appointed and removed by the president. 

'Head of state'

In the new system, the president will have executive power and the title of “head of state”, representing Turkey, the unity of Turkish people and assuring the implementation of the constitution and the harmonious execution of state bodies.

The president is given the right to issue a presidential decree. 

The establishment and shutting down of the ministries, their duties and authorities, as well as organizational structure will be subject to presidential decree.

The parliament can decide on re-election with three-fifth majority. If it calls for a re-election when the president is in his second term, he can seek another term. 

Parliamentary and presidential elections will be held together when the president decides on renewing the elections.

In the new system, the parliament will not be authorized to use censure as a tool for gaining information and inspection.

In case that any presidential candidate fails to get absolute majority of votes, the second round of elections will be held on second Sunday, July 8.

The top two candidates will contest in the second round of the elections.

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