Excitement starts for new Turkish deputies

Now that the general elections are over and new deputies have been elected to Parliament, deputies are set to vie for new parliamentary positions. Deputies are expected to go to the ballot box in Parliament in the days to come to elect who will be commissioned to the positions.

Deputies will first vote for the post of parliament speaker. The eldest deputy, Oktay Ekşi from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), will be standing as parliament speaker until a deputy is elected to the position. The new parliament speaker will remain in office for two years.

 Deputies will later go to the ballot box to elect the 16-member council of the Parliament Speaker's Office. In addition, new deputies will be voted in for 17 specialization commissions in Parliament, new deputies will be voted in for 10 international parliamentary commissions and a representative will be voted in for the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE). Additionally, political parties will elect their parliamentary group deputy chairmen.

Deputies will have to take an oath before the election of the parliament speaker. The swear-in ceremony will start on the fifth day after the election results are announced from the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) by the Supreme Election Board (YSK). Deputies will later vote to elect the parliament speaker. Two-thirds (367) of the total number of deputies will be required in the first two rounds for the new parliament speaker.

If the necessary number of votes cannot be reached to elect a speaker in the first two rounds, then the third and fourth rounds will be held. The absolute majority (276) of the total number of deputies will be required in the third round. If the absolute majority cannot be reached in the third round, the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes will attend the third round. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the fourth round will become the new parliament speaker.

After Parliament elects its new speaker, the process of the formation of a new government will start. Once the new government is formed, deputies are expected to take a summer recess -- probably at the end of July -- and the new legislative year is expected to begin on Oct. 1.

After the beginning of the new legislative year, deputies will convene to elect members to 17 specialization commissions. Political parties in Parliament will offer members to the commissions, and a vote will be held to decide who will be elected to the commissions. After the voting, the commissions will convene under the presidency of the parliament speaker to elect their chairmen, deputy chairmen, spokespersons and clerks. Additionally, members of the international commissions, parliamentary friendship groups and the representative for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will be elected.

Political parties will be able to elect their own deputy chairmen. In the passing term, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) had five deputy chairmen, the main opposition CHP had three, the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) had two and the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) also had two.


/World Bulletin/