Foreign

Turkey’s constitutional change to be fully implemented with Nov 2019 elections, Erdogan says

April 17, 2018

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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting of his ruling AK Party at the Parliament in Ankara, Turkey April 10, 2018. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE.

ANKARA: Expected changes to the Turkish constitution will be fully implemented with the presidential elections scheduled for November 2019, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, in an apparent response to a suggestion for early polls.

Erdogan’s comments came after the head of the nationalist Milliyetçi Hareket Partis (MHP) party suggested holding presidential elections in August this year.

Turks narrowly backed a constitutional change last year to
change the constitution and grant Erdogan sweeping powers. The changes are due to become effective in the next elections.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he would meet with the head of the MHP, after Devlet Bahceli floated the prospect of an early election.

Bahceli suggested the presidential election, scheduled for November 2019, could be brought forward to August this year. The ruling Justice and Development Party and the MHP will enter the next elections under an electoral alliance. Erdogan said he would meet with Bahceli on Wednesday.