Turkey’s top election board proposes Nov. 1 as snap election date

ANKARA

DHA photo

Turkey’s top election authority has offered Nov. 1 as the date to hold early elections, as efforts to form a coalition government after the June 7 parliamentary election was unable to produce a single-party government failed.

The Supreme Election Board (YSK) has drafted a calendar, according to which preparations could be completed within 60 days in case of an eventual official decision to hold an early election, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Aug. 20. The YSK has presented the draft calendar to representatives of the four political parties represented in parliament, the agency said.

Following a consultation between representatives and the parties, the YSK will iron out the final details of the calendar and set the exact date.

Earlier this week, the board decided that in the event of a “repetition of general parliamentary elections,” it has the authority to shorten the 90-day period that must be reserved before an election.

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