News

HDP appeals to top election board for cancelation of Nov. 1 election

Nov 17 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Todays Zaman

The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) appealed to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) on Monday to ask for the cancelation of the results of the Nov. 1 general election.

The HDP received fewer votes in the Nov. 1 snap election than in the previous general election held on June 7. Although the party obtained 13 percent of the vote on June 7, its support dropped to 10 percent on Nov. 1, following the renewed conflict between Turkish security forces and the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Those asking for early congress are AKP missionaries: MHP head

Nov 17 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is assessing what led to its crushing defeat at the hands of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Nov. 1 election, MHP head Devlet Bahçeli has said, in his first parliamentary group meeting since the poll.

Admitting that the MHP fell short of expectations in the election, Bahçeli also claimed that the results did not mark a “defeat” for the party. The MHP lost almost two million votes in five months, while the AKP increased its votes by nearly four million.

Turkish parliament gathers for oath taking

Nov 17 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The national assembly of Turkey, most members of which were reelected in Nov. 1 snap elections following the June 7 elections, gathers on Nov. 17 for an oath taking ceremony, the kick off procedure for the forming of a new government.

Deniz Baykal, the former leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), will hold the post of temporary parliament speaker until the parliament elects its speaker.

Critical TV channels stop broadcast in latest blow to media freedom in Turkey

Nov 15 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Todays Zaman

The state-owned Turkish Satellite Communications Company (Türksat) dropped a total of 13 TV and radio channels including Samanyolu TV, Mehtap TV, S Haber and Radio Cihan that are critical of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) as of Saturday 12 a.m., in a severe blow to already deteriorating press freedoms in Turkey.

New cabinet expected to be announced next week

Nov 13 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has put the final touches on its timeline to form a new government, as the country’s top election body released the final results of the Nov. 1 snap elections, confirming the AKP had regained its parliamentary majority.

Accordingly, members of the national assembly will take their oaths on Nov. 17 and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will commission Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to form the new government on the same day.

PM calls for presidential system based on separation of powers

Nov 11 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Todays Zaman

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu called on Tuesday for the introduction of an executive presidential system based on a balanced separation of powers, saying the current system created tensions between the president and prime minister.

In a live interview with state broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), Davutoğlu said the government could discuss a new constitution and the "fight against terrorism" with opposition parties.

HDP to continue with Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ as co-chairs

Nov 11 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Todays Zaman

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) will hold its ordinary congress on Jan. 17, 2016, when delegates will vote for a single list of party administrators in which present Co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ will be the only candidates for chairpersons of the party, a daily reported on Tuesday.

According to a story in Milliyet, Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ will continue to serve as co-chairs despite a loss of nearly 1 million votes in the Nov. 1 snap election.

HDP ready to discuss freedom-based constitution but not presidential system

Nov 08 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The Kurdish-question focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has announced its readiness to discuss replacing the current constitution with a new pro-freedom charter, but has categorically rejected changing Turkey’s administrative system to a presidential one in line with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ambitions. 

Mismatches had no bearing on Turkey’s final election result: Vote and Beyond

Nov 06 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The independent election monitoring initiative Vote and Beyond has said the minor incompliances between its own reports and the official results of the Nov. 1 election had no bearing on the final outcome.

Vote and Beyond, a civil organization of around 60,000 volunteers, said in a written statement on Nov. 3 that the 10,000-vote discrepancy between the official results of the election and its own reports were ultimately inconsequential.

PKK ends unilateral cease-fire, policeman killed in Silvan

Nov 05 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Todays Zaman

The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella group that encompasses the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has announced that it ended the unilateral cease-fire it declared ahead of the Nov. 1 repeat election, amid already escalating tension in predominantly Kurdish region, with a police officer killed during clashes with PKK terrorists in the Silvan district of Diyarbakır province on Thursday.

CHP dismisses calls for extraordinary convention, MHP leader brushes aside calls for resignation

Nov 05 2015
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has dismissed calls for an extraordinary party convention, while the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has defiantly stood behind his recent policies despite being blamed for the party’s disappointing showing in the Nov.

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