Turkey’s YSK ready to schedule new election at earlier time

ANKARA

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The Supreme Election Board (YSK) has stated that it could use its legal authority to set upcoming elections at an earlier date, if necessary.

In a meeting late on Aug. 18, the YSK unanimously decided that in the event of “repetition of general parliamentary elections,” it has the authority to shorten the 90-day period that must be reserved before an election, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The June 7 parliamentary election failed to produce a single-party government and the leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which got the highest number of votes, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu returned the mandate for forming a new government to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan late on Aug. 18. The 45-day deadline for forming of a new government expires on Aug. 23, paving the way for fresh elections within 90 days - at the latest on Nov. 22.

“If a new cabinet cannot be formed within 45 days … without being defeated by a vote of confidence, the President of the Republic may, in consultation with the President of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, call for new elections,” states Article 116 of the constitution.

According to a general rule in the Law on Parliamentary Elections, the official start date of a parliamentary election is the first day of a period of 90 days prior to the election day. However, the law also states that in cases where the parliament or the president decides to hold a new parliamentary election before the regular term, the YSK may schedule the election start date at an earlier time, as is specified by the relevant laws.