ANKARA, January 22. /TASS/: Presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey will be held on May 14, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.
"I call on our youth who will take part in the elections for the first time to make a right choice during the voting, which will take place on May 14," he said at a meeting with the youth in the country’s northwestern Bursa Province, which was aired by the TRT television channel.
Initially, presidential polls in Turkey were scheduled for June 18.
The Turkish leader said he would sign a decree on the elections on March 10. "We will use our official competences on March 10, after which a 60-day period for the organization of elections will begin," he said,
Earlier, Erdogan did not rule out that the elections could be rescheduled for an earlier date due to "seasonal consideration." His Justice and Development Party suggested the polls be rescheduled ahead of university exams and vacations, as well as a pilgrimage to Mecca by more than 100,000 Turkish nationals.
The ruling People’s Alliance comprised of the Justice and Development Party and the Nationalist Movement Party said earlier that the incumbent president will be nominated its candidate at the upcoming elections. The opposition candidate has not yet been named.
A decision of the elections’ rescheduling can be passed by the Turkish parliament if supported by at least 360 out of its 600 members. The presidential party has 334 seats and cannot pass this decision. If the opposition votes against, a corresponding decree may be signed by the president.
