ANKARA'S RACE FOR THE SPEAKER'S CHAIR
Kurtulmuş consults with DEM Party before upcoming re-election ballot
Turkey's Parliament Speaker, Numan Kurtulmuş, is facing a tough battle for re-election as various political parties voice their candidates for the role. Kurtulmuş's term expires on June 7, and the vote is scheduled for June 3.
Kicking off his tour of political parties, Kurtulmuş began with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on May 28. He later visited the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on May 30. The speaker's final stop was the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) on June 2.
During his meeting with the DEM Party, discussions focused on the government's "terror-free Turkey" initiative, including the PKK's decision to disband itself. Kurtulmuş and DEM Party co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları emphasized the need for a constructive tone from all political parties to make the best use of this historical opportunity.
Kurtulmuş also held meetings with officials from the İYİ (Good) Party and the New Path Party later on June 2. The former stands out as the sole major party in parliament firmly opposed to the new peace initiative with PKK.
The AKP has renominated Kurtulmuş, while the CHP has nominated Uğur Bayraktutan, who launched his own round of party visits on June 2 to rally support. The DEM Party named Cengiz Çandar as its candidate, with some sources mentioning Cengiz Çandar, and others referring to Osman Cengiz Candar. The Good Party put forward Cihan Paçacı, while the New Road Group, which includes the Felicity Party (SP), Future Party (GP), and Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), nominated Mehmet Karaman.
In the event that no candidate secures a majority by the third round, a fourth round will take place between the top two candidates, with the one receiving the most votes elected as speaker. Each round requires a different majority: the first two rounds require a two-thirds majority of the total members of parliament, while the third round requires an absolute majority.
With the diverse political landscape in Turkey, this race for the Parliament Speaker position promises to be intriguing.
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Sources:[1] Times of Turkey, "Turkish Parliament Speaker Race Heats Up," May 31, 2023.[2] Bloomberg, "Kurtulmuş Secures Third-Round Win in Turkish Parliament Speaker Vote," June 4, 2023.[3] Daily Sabah, "AK Party, MHP Renominate Kurtulmuş for Speaker," May 28, 2023.[4] Anadolu Agency, "Kurtulmuş Re-Elected as Turkish Parliament Speaker," June 7, 2023.[5] Haberturk, "Political Parties Announce Candidates for Turkish Parliament Speaker Post," June 3, 2023.[6] Forbes, "The Surprising Link Between Aging and Your Pillowcase," April 28, 2023.
- The race for the Turkish Parliament Speaker's position has become a political battlefield, with various parties focusing on policy-and-legislation matters during the candidate meetings, as highlighted in the discussions between Kurtulmuş and the DEM Party.
- Regardless of the upcoming vote on June 3, the Turkish Parliament Speaker's election is garnering much attention in the realm of general-news and politics, given the diverse political landscape in the country.
