Erdoğan, Bahçeli meet ahead of critical decision on polls

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his main political ally, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, had a meeting on March 8, two days before the former is set to disclose the election date.

Erdoğan and Bahçeli, along with the Great Union Party (BBP) leader Mustafa Destici, make the People’s Alliance, with Erdoğan being the joint candidate. The two men reportedly discussed the upcoming elections, the election campaign and other issues as part of their continued cooperation during the meeting. The AKP and MHP are also talking about the methods to increase their representation in the parliament. The two parties are planning to introduce joint lists in some constituencies so that they can yield more deputies.

They also assessed the ongoing relief support to the earthquake-hit region and millions of victims of the disaster. Erdoğan has said he is planning to start a new tour to the region where the government is planning to build safe houses for the victims in one year.

In a statement on March 6 after the cabinet meeting, Erdoğan said he will issue a presidential decree on March 10 for the renewal of the presidential and parliamentary polls on May 14. The Supreme Election Board (YSK) will launch the process immediately after the decree is published in the Official Gazette, the president said.

The YSK will announce the election calendar over the next weekend and detail what actions it will take for safe voting in the 11 earthquake-hit provinces. It will announce how victims who have been evacuated from these provinces to other parts of the country will be able to cast their votes.