Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party wins elections

[wmdisinfo]

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) wins a third successive victory in parliamentary elections, but falls short of a majority large enough to change the constitution.


Based on results from 99% of the ballots counted, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has collected over 50 percent of the votes, with his party set to secure around 326 out of 550 seats in the parliament, which is less than the 330 needed to hold a referendum on a re-written constitution, Turkish media reported.

Nominees from 15 parties along with many independent candidates have stood for Turkey's 550-seat parliament election.

The major opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have respectively polled around 26% and 13% of the votes cast, giving each 135 and 54 seats accordingly.

Candidates of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) scored well in the Kurdish stronghold, southeast of the country, and won 5.8% of ballots and 35 seats.

Erdogan has promised to draft a new constitution to enhance individual freedoms, uphold pluralism, and strengthen democracy. Critics, however, accuse him of trying to consolidate his grip on power by modifying the constitution.

More than 50 million people were eligible to cast their ballots in the elections.

 

[Leader]

thats great news.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

AK Party has done good things for Turkiye. When PM Erdogan was baskani (mayor) of Istanbul, there were rapid changes. Police improved, pro-business policies brought in plethora of FDI. Many welcome changes, and he is (and should be) accreditted for that.

AKP is also rich in finances, support and it is a very well-organized party in Turkiye. I wish them the best. If our leaders emulated their social and economic policies we would have far fewer issues in Pakistan.


having lived in Turkiye for some years, of course I met a lot of political dividedness....I had friends who supported everything from leftist secularist parties to nationalist to Islamist.

politically, Turkiye is maturing I think.....partly due to experience as a democratic country and perhaps partly also due to ambitions to join EU --which obviously necessitates the need for political and economic reforms.

 

[secularbuster]

The Islamists in Turkey have shown to the world and specially to the Muslim World what Islamic policies can do to a Muslim economy. Seculars in the Muslim World are mostly corrupt and they cover their corruption with nationalistic zeal.

 

[kobiraaz]

I don't have enough knowledge about turkey.. AKP failed to win enough seat to change the constitution. Tell me that.. Do they have any intention to bring any major change in the constitution???? What about secularism. . . I think Ak is pro islamic. . Can anyone throw some light.

 

[secularbuster]

I don't have enough knowledge about turkey.. AKP failed to win enough seat to change the constitution. Tell me that.. Do they have any intention to bring any major change in the constitution???? What about secularism. . . I think Ak is pro islamic. . Can anyone throw some light.

Well, Mr. if you want to know about Turkey let me tell you, those secular politicians of Turkey had turned Turkey into 'a sickman of Europe' and the Islamists like Erdogan saved Turkey from economic and cultural ruin. The seculars survive with the backing from the Turkish generals, they do not have any popular support. That's why they call on the army to interfere in the name of saving secularism in Turkey, a totally bankrupt idea.