Turkish MPs sworn in; Yildirim nominated as parliament speaker

Six-hundred parliamentarians from five political parties take oaths following last month’s elections.

New legislative year of Turkish Grand National Assembly
President Erdogan, who kept his seat in the June 24 twin elections, is expected to be sworn in on Monday [Anadolu]

Turkey’s new members of parliament have been sworn in following last month’s elections that significantly expanded the powers of the presidency.

Six hundred politicians from five parties on Saturday took oaths to serve in parliament in the capital, Ankara.

Among them are 295 MPs from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and 49 from the allied Nationalist Movement Party.

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The rest are opposition MPs from the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and nationalist IYI (Good) Party.

Erdogan, 64, kept his seat in the June 24 twin presidential and parliamentary elections. He is expected to be sworn in on Monday.

Turkey’s governing system is changing from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency, which abolishes the office of the prime minister and gives parliament more responsibilities.

The number of MPs increased by 50 seats and a majority in parliament now requires 301 votes.

Yildirim nominated

Meanwhile, the AK Party on Saturday nominated Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, whose current office will cease to exist soon, as parliament speaker.

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“According to the internal regulations of the parliament, the election for the parliamentary speaker will take place on July 12,” Naci Bostanci, the AK Party’s parliamentary group chairman, told reporters

“The process of the parliamentary speaker election will not take long. So, I assume it will conclude in a day,” he added.

Also speaking to journalists in Ankara, Yildirim said: “Hopefully, it will be good to our state and nation. Some other candidates may emerge, too. Whatever our parliament says, so be it.”

If elected, Yildirim will succeed Ismail Kahraman, who served two terms as the parliament speaker.

Yildirim’s premiership is due to conclude when a new government is formed by Erdogan next week.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies