HDP nominates Erol Katırcıoğlu as parliament speaker, becomes first party to file application

Duvar English

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has become the first party to submit the name of its candidate for Turkey's upcoming parliament speaker election.

HDP parliamentary group deputy chairs Meral Danış Beştaş and Saruhan Oluç on July 2 formally nominated Erol Katırcıoğlu as a candidate on behalf of their party.

The parliament is set to elect a new speaker on July 7 after all the candidates file their declaration of intent by July 6 at the latest.

Lawmakers will elect the new speaker through a secret ballot of up to four rounds on a single day.

In the first two rounds, the candidates will seek a supermajority of 400 lawmakers in the 600-seat parliament.

In the third and fourth rounds, if necessary, a simple majority of 301 lawmakers will be enough to elect a new speaker.

In June, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) announced that it would nominate incumbent Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop for the post for another term. Şentop on June 19 told reporters his candidacy had “become definite.”

Main opposition CHP to nominate Haluk Koç as parliament speaker

On July 1, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) announced that it would nominate Haluk Koç as its candidate for the post.

Following the CHP's announcement, the HDP said on the same day: “For the Turkish Parliament Speaker election that will be held on July 7 Tuesday, our Istanbul lawmaker Erol Katırcıoğlu has been determined as our group's candidate.” And on July 2, the HDP became the first party to submit Katırcıoğlu's nomination to the parliamentary speaker's office.