Turkish president signs election harmonization bill

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on April 25 signed a harmonization law to bring Turkey’s election system in line with constitutional reforms approved last year in a referendum, according to the presidency.

Under the law, Turkish citizens living abroad can cast their votes until three days before election day in Turkey, scheduled for June 24.

Parliament passed a bill on April 20 calling for early presidential and parliamentary elections, cementing Turkey’s move to a presidential system.

The law also ends the appointment system for overseas voters, allowing them to cast ballots on any date following the Supreme Board of Elections’ announcement of voting dates for overseas voters.

It also allows a candidate to be elected to no more than two terms as president and for a presidential runoff if no candidate receives more than half of the votes cast, along with other election-related changes in line with constitutional reforms.

In the April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch from a parliamentary system to a presidential one.