Turkey: President's candidacy filed with election board

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA (AA) - Top Turkish political leaders on Friday filed paperwork for Recep Tayyip Erdogan to seek another term as president.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli filed the candidacy with the Supreme Board of Elections at 11.00 a.m.

Speaking afterwards, Yildirim touted the election alliance between the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and the MHP, calling it the "strongest" partnership for the June 24 elections.

"Our alliance is with our nation. When we chose our candidate, we only thought about the future of our nation's prosperity and happiness," Yildirim said.

Erdogan has served as president since 2014 -- Turkey's first popularly elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister, from 2003 to 2014.

Should he win the June election, Erdogan would be Turkey's first leader under the presidential system, doing away with the prime minister's post, among other changes.

Last month, parliament passed a bill calling for early elections on June 24, cementing Turkey’s move to a presidential system. In an April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch from a parliamentary system to a presidential one.