Turkish opposition MHP names candidate for speaker

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Opposition Nationalist Movement Party’s (MHP) has named its lawmaker from Istanbul as the party's candidate for parliament speaker.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Semih Yalcin, the MHP’s deputy chairman, said that Celal Adan would run for the office.

Turkey's parliament is set to elect a new speaker of the assembly on Nov. 20, after all the candidates file a declaration of intent to contest the elections by Nov. 16.

Current Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman, whose two-year term started in November 2015 and will end on Nov. 22, has said he will announce on Nov. 12 whether he is seeking reelection.

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 376 lawmakers in the 550-seat parliament.

In the third and fourth rounds, if necessary, a simple majority of 276 lawmakers will be enough to elect a new speaker.

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party holds 316 seats in parliament, while MHP has 36 seats.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has named former Finance Minister Zekeriya Temizel as its candidate for the post.

The candidate of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) is Selma Irmak, who on Nov. 3 was sentenced to 10 years in prison on terrorism charges.

The AK Party has yet to announce its candidate.