Election calendar starts to run

ANKARA

The election calendar for parliamentary and presidential election to be held on May 14 started to run as of March 18.

The application process for the presidential candidacy by political parties to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) will end on March 23 at 5 p.m.

Those who want to run as independent candidates by securing the appeals of more than 100,000 people should apply on March 20.

Presidential candidates will have to declare property on March 19 and 20, while they will declare their assets and properties of their spouses and children.

The presidential nominees whose applications will be confirmed by the YSK will be published in the Official Gazette on March 31, and a propaganda period for the presidential candidates will begin.

Presidential candidates will only be able to receive financial aid from persons who are citizens of Türkiye from March 31 to the time when the election results are finalized.

They will not be able to accept donations from foreign states, international organizations, legal entities and people who are not Turkish citizens.

The amount of financial aid that a person can make to each candidate will not exceed 55,598 Turkish Liras (nearly $2,900).

The political parties that agree to build alliances started to submit the protocols they agree on to the YSK by March 18. If the parties change their mind or amend the protocols, they should notify the election watchdog on April 7 at the latest. On April 8, the parties will submit their candidates to the parliament so that the YSK can scrutinize the lists.

On April 27, Turks living abroad will start to vote in the designated diplomatic missions of Türkiye as well as at the border gates. They will be able to vote until May 9. The voting in the country will take place on May 14 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and initial results of the presidential election will be announced by midnight.