The head of Turkey’s Democracy and Progress Party, Ali Babacan, said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s candidacy for a third term violates the constitution and that his party will challenge Erdogan’s candidacy before the Supreme Electoral Commission.
Babacan pointed to the consensus of all lawyers in his party immediately after Erdogan announced his candidacy, which was against the law, given that Erdogan served two presidential terms, which again makes his candidacy unconstitutional.
Babacan added that Turkey is moving towards elections and that it should move quickly and not wait any longer.
Babacan explained that it was not difficult to foresee the decision that would be made by the High Electoral Commission, recalling that the Electoral Commission had previously supported Erdogan’s right to run and “fabricated for him such excuses as regime change.”
On Tuesday, Turkey’s ruling People’s Alliance filed a formal request for Erdogan’s candidacy to the Turkish Electoral Commission in the capital Ankara.
Source: Turkish newspaper Zaman.