Parliament convenes for new legislative term

ANKARA

The Turkish parliament has convened for the first time after the parliamentary polls of May 14 for the oath-taking ceremony of the new 600 members of parliament, which will be temporarily presided over by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli as he is the oldest lawmaker among the elected MPs.

Following this ceremony that marked the beginning of the new legislative term, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will take oath on June 3 in the parliament to officially start his new five-year term.

The lawmakers from the political parties gathered in the parliament to swear in as the members of the parliament and mark the beginning of the new legislative term.

Before the session, former Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop handed over his job to Bahçeli, who will be presiding over the parliament until the election of the new parliament speaker. The election of the new leadership is expected to be concluded in the coming weeks.

Erdoğan attended the opening of the parliament and held a brief meeting with Bahçeli in the latter’s office.

Behçeli, in its opening remarks, recalled the newly elected lawmakers that they will serve as the country will celebrate its 100th anniversary. “You take a historic responsibility. I am of the opinion that you will carry Türkiye and the ‘Century of Türkiye’ vision to the highest levels,” he said.

“Our common foundation in the Republic of Türkiye. We should accomplish many achievements by standing shoulder-to-shoulder,” Bahçeli stated. “I want to express my opinion that we will altogether reinforce our unity and togetherness as well as our culture of compromise and solidarity,” he underlined.

Ceremony to be held at presidency

Following the ceremony for the lawmakers, Erdoğan will take oath in the parliament on June 3, which will mark the beginning of his new term as the president of Türkiye.

After taking the oath, Erdoğan will pay his respect to modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk through a visit to his mausoleum. Later, he will attend a special ceremony to be organized at the presidential complex to mark his new term as the head of the nation.

World leaders from around 20 countries, including Azerbaijan and other Turkic states, will also attend the program. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is expected to attend the event as well. Apart from international invitees, the foreign ambassadors based in Ankara, senior civil servants and journalists will also attend the ceremony.

Afterward, Erdoğan is expected to disclose his new cabinet at another ceremony to be held in the Çankaya Palace. The ministers to be announced will have to take oath on June 4 before starting their new duties.