Turkish opposition leader backs early election call

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader said on Tuesday he hopes early elections take place in Turkey.

"They say 'early election.' It will hopefully be held," Kemal Kilicdaroglu told his party's parliamentary group in capital Ankara.

Kilicdaroglu said the country needs to be run "properly".

"They [ruling AK Party] say: 'We cannot get along, the citizens can send us away," he said.

"We need heads who can properly run this country."

The CHP leader's remarks came after the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli on Tuesday called for early elections on Aug. 26, 2018.

On April 16, 2017, Turkey held a referendum during which the majority of voters decided in favor of an 18-article bill to switch from a parliamentary to a presidential system.

The parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled to take place in November 2019.