Turkey's President Erdogan calls a snap election as he seeks to increase his power

[Arabi]

• President Recep Tayyip Erdogan moved November 2019 elections to June 29

• A new government system that gives him more power kicks in with the next term

• He argued Kurdish separatist activity, failed 2016 coup made haste necessary

• Turkish PM and Erdogan ally called parliamentary elections for the same day

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called a surprise snap election in a bid to increase his power with a new presidential system.

Presidential and parliamentary elections under the country's new system of government were scheduled for November 2019 but will now be on June 24.

Erdogan said the new system needs to be implemented quickly in order to deal with a slew of challenges ahead, like Turkey's fight with Kurdish separatists.

'Although its seems like no serious issues emerge as the president and the government are working in harmony, the illnesses of the old system can counter us at every step,' he said on Wednesday.

'Developments in Syria and elsewhere have made it urgent to switch to the new executive system in order to take steps for our country's future in a stronger way.

'Be it the cross-border operations in Syria, or incidents of historic importance centered in Syria and Iraq, they have made it imperative for Turkey to overcome uncertainties quickly.'

Erdogan was likely speaking of efforts by Kurds in both countries to establish an independent state that would also include parts of Turkey.

Turkey is switching from a parliamentary system to a presidential one that increases the powers of the president, following a narrowly approved referendum last year.

The changes take effect with the next election, so Erdogan could boost his power and grip on rule 18 months earlier if he wins the elections.

The four-year ruler of Turkey made the announcement alongside Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey's main nationalist party, after meeting with him.

The election was called a day after Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party and an Erdogan ally - made a surprise call for snap parliamentary elections on the same date.


Bahceli argued there's 'no point in prolonging this any longer,' citing efforts by unnamed groups to foment chaos in Turkey.

Erdogan, who has moved to further tighten his grip on politics since a failed coup attempt in 2016, needs a 51 percent majority to be re-elected in the first round of the presidential election.

Earlier this year, his ruling his conservative, Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party reached an election alliance with Bahceli's MHP.


The call for an early election comes as nationalist sentiment is running high over Turkey's recent military operation in Syria that ousted Syrian Kurdish forces from a northern enclave.

Ankara has labeled the Syrian Kurdish fighters as terrorists because of their affiliation with outlawed Kurdish rebels fighting inside Turkey.

In a related development, Turkey's parliament was to vote Wednesday on whether to prolong the state of emergency that was declared after the failed July 2016 coup.

Parliament was widely expected to extend the state of emergency for a seventh time despite calls at home and abroad for it to end.

The EU, which Turkey seeks to join, said Turkey was backsliding on bringing its laws into line with EU standards and called for the country to lift its state of emergency.

Last month, a UN report concluded that Turkey's state of emergency led to human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and dismissals, torture, and ill-treatment.


Turkey's main opposition party accused the government of misusing its emergency powers to erode democracy and arrest government critics.

'The state of emergency needs to be lifted immediately, there cannot be an election under emergency rule,' Republican People's Party spokesman Bulent Tezcan said.

'The country needs to brought out of the emergency rule regime starting today.'

Opposition supporters staged sit-in protests this week across Turkey to demand an end to the emergency declaration.

The government asked Parliament to extend the emergency decree, arguing that security threats from a movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of masterminding the coup, have not abated.

It also cites Turkey's continued struggle against Kurdish rebels and other groups.

Gulen denied any ties to the failed coup.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ses-allys-call-early-polls.html#ixzz5D4d9KUcB


Welcome to the new dictatorship of ERDOGAN, the one and only of his kind. Kemalists must be as jealous as hell.

 

[Aramagedon]

The guy that is under boots of Saudi clan dictatorship for centuries talk about dictatorship ...

 

[Arabi]

The guy that is under boots of Saudi clan dictatorship for centuries talk about dictatorship ...

Look how an Angel Khomeinist supports democracy ....

Who might this pedo Mullah voted for?

 

[Aramagedon]

The low-IQ cretin needs to get educated:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_by_country

Anyway monarchy is ok for hypocrite west as long as you’re ally of Zionist terrorists.

 

[T-Rex]

• President Recep Tayyip Erdogan moved November 2019 elections to June 29

• A new government system that gives him more power kicks in with the next term

• He argued Kurdish separatist activity, failed 2016 coup made haste necessary

• Turkish PM and Erdogan ally called parliamentary elections for the same day

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called a surprise snap election in a bid to increase his power with a new presidential system.

Presidential and parliamentary elections under the country's new system of government were scheduled for November 2019 but will now be on June 24.

Erdogan said the new system needs to be implemented quickly in order to deal with a slew of challenges ahead, like Turkey's fight with Kurdish separatists.

'Although its seems like no serious issues emerge as the president and the government are working in harmony, the illnesses of the old system can counter us at every step,' he said on Wednesday.

'Developments in Syria and elsewhere have made it urgent to switch to the new executive system in order to take steps for our country's future in a stronger way.

'Be it the cross-border operations in Syria, or incidents of historic importance centered in Syria and Iraq, they have made it imperative for Turkey to overcome uncertainties quickly.'

Erdogan was likely speaking of efforts by Kurds in both countries to establish an independent state that would also include parts of Turkey.

Turkey is switching from a parliamentary system to a presidential one that increases the powers of the president, following a narrowly approved referendum last year.

The changes take effect with the next election, so Erdogan could boost his power and grip on rule 18 months earlier if he wins the elections.

The four-year ruler of Turkey made the announcement alongside Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey's main nationalist party, after meeting with him.

The election was called a day after Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party and an Erdogan ally - made a surprise call for snap parliamentary elections on the same date.


Bahceli argued there's 'no point in prolonging this any longer,' citing efforts by unnamed groups to foment chaos in Turkey.

Erdogan, who has moved to further tighten his grip on politics since a failed coup attempt in 2016, needs a 51 percent majority to be re-elected in the first round of the presidential election.

Earlier this year, his ruling his conservative, Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party reached an election alliance with Bahceli's MHP.


The call for an early election comes as nationalist sentiment is running high over Turkey's recent military operation in Syria that ousted Syrian Kurdish forces from a northern enclave.

Ankara has labeled the Syrian Kurdish fighters as terrorists because of their affiliation with outlawed Kurdish rebels fighting inside Turkey.

In a related development, Turkey's parliament was to vote Wednesday on whether to prolong the state of emergency that was declared after the failed July 2016 coup.

Parliament was widely expected to extend the state of emergency for a seventh time despite calls at home and abroad for it to end.

The EU, which Turkey seeks to join, said Turkey was backsliding on bringing its laws into line with EU standards and called for the country to lift its state of emergency.

Last month, a UN report concluded that Turkey's state of emergency led to human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and dismissals, torture, and ill-treatment.


Turkey's main opposition party accused the government of misusing its emergency powers to erode democracy and arrest government critics.

'The state of emergency needs to be lifted immediately, there cannot be an election under emergency rule,' Republican People's Party spokesman Bulent Tezcan said.

'The country needs to brought out of the emergency rule regime starting today.'

Opposition supporters staged sit-in protests this week across Turkey to demand an end to the emergency declaration.

The government asked Parliament to extend the emergency decree, arguing that security threats from a movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of masterminding the coup, have not abated.

It also cites Turkey's continued struggle against Kurdish rebels and other groups.

Gulen denied any ties to the failed coup.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ses-allys-call-early-polls.html#ixzz5D4d9KUcB


Welcome to the new dictatorship of ERDOGAN, the one and only of his kind. Kemalists must be as jealous as hell.

Baba Arabi, you live in a despotic land owned by a family so you won't understand what democracy is or what benefits people derive from it.

 

[Fenasi Kerim]

At least the elections are fair lol not “95%” Sisi victory lol

You don’t hear the west and Arabs from dictator lands complain about Egyptian elections lol

 

[T-Rex]

At least the elections are fair lol not “95%” Sisi victory lol

You don’t hear the west and Arabs from dictator lands complain about Egyptian elections lol

This is the problem with those fake champions of democracy and human rights. They are never there where there is no democracy, no human rights (Egypt, KSA, UAE, BD for example) at all but they are always ready to find faults with Turkish democracy.

 

[Thumboor]

This is going to be more like a rubber stamp for further escalation into syrian-kurdish held areas.
Kudos to him. Haven't seen many other politicians with the same degree of political nuance.
Poor kurds

 

[GBU-28]

At least the elections are fair lol not “95%” Sisi victory lol

You don’t hear the west and Arabs from dictator lands complain about Egyptian elections lol

They're not fair really. Erdogan gets to dominate the media and the opposition are always stifled and often intimidated. Very similar to Russia in that regard.

 

[Fenasi Kerim]

They're not fair really. Erdogan gets to dominate the media and the opposition are always stifled and often intimidated. Very similar to Russia in that regard.

It is fair, or do you mean like in the south east where PKK sympathisers the same ones you Isreali scum support hold people to gun point.

 

[xenon54 out]

People who live in countries where their leaders get determined by being the right sperm have no right to judge the political system in Turkey.

At least Turks can vote him out if they want, do the same in Saudi and see how long you will keep your head on your shoulder.

 

[GBU-28]

It is fair, or do you mean like in the south east where PKK sympathisers the same ones you Isreali scum support hold people to gun point.

You should know that the world doesn't consider you a democracy any longer.

 

[Rafael]

You should know that the world doesn't consider you a democracy any longer.

The 'world' as you call them are bunch of hypocrites. They will allow and support dictators when it suite them, even orchestrate to overthrow elected governments who do not toe their lines. So spare us this nonsense.

Erdogan will go when Turkish people want him to go.

 

[Serpentine]

Did I read correctly? A Saudi lambasting Turkey for terms like democracy and dictatorship? What a time to be alive.
Turkey, with all its problems, is decades ahead of inbred Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when it comes to political maturity, freedom of expression and rule of law.

 

[Fenasi Kerim]

You should know that the world doesn't consider you a democracy any longer.

The "world" can go cry somewhere else then while it continues to support real dictators in Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc you Israelis will know, we really dont "giv a fock" about the "world"