Istanbul: Turkey's ruling party led by a wide margin in partial returns from parliamentary elections on Sunday, state-run television reported, setting the stage for a third term in which the government is expected to seek an overhaul of the military-era constitution.
However, results indicated that the Justice and Development Party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not heading for a two-thirds majority in parliament, a shortcoming that would force it to seek support for constitutional change from other political groups.
With half the votes counted, Erdogan's party had won 52 per cent of the votes, TRT reported. It said the Republican People's Party, the main opposition group, had 22 per cent of the vote.
TRT said another opposition party, the Nationalist Action Party, had 13 per cent of the vote, suggesting it could stay in parliament by crossing a 10 percent vote threshold designed to keep out smaller parties.
About 15 parties and 200 independent candidates were contesting 550 seats for four-year terms in parliament, and about 50 million Turks, or two-thirds of the population, were eligible to vote.
For the first time, voters cast ballots in transparent plastic boxes in which the yellow envelopes could be seen piling up. The measure was designed to prevent any allegations of fraud. In past elections, wooden boxes were used.
"We have spoken, and now it is time for the people to speak," Erdogan said in Istanbul. "For us, this will be the most honorable decision and one that we will have to respect.
Comments
0 comment