Turkish opposition party slams Istanbul re-vote

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's opposition Good (IYI) Party leader on Tuesday slammed the top election body's decision for a revote in Istanbul on June 23.

"The ruling parties have done an enormity to Turkey by not recognizing the results of ballot boxes," Meral Aksener told her party's parliamentary group.

"They have kicked the ballot box, they have politically killed themselves," said Aksener.

She stressed that they would never stay silent against "this judicial coup committed against democracy".

"Every single intervention to democracy is a coup, and we will reject every kind of coup," she added.

On May 6, the Supreme Election Council accepted the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's objection to the March 31 local election results in Istanbul and announced a do-over election.

In its decision, it said some polling officials and staff on March 31 were not public servants as required by law.