HDP to receive TL 27 million grant from Treasury

The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) will receive a grant from the Treasury totaling TL 27 million ($9.86 million) for the first time beginning in January 2016, as it passed the 10 percent election threshold. The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will receive 42.9 percent of the grant, since it has the highest share of the total votes. The Republican People's Party (CHP) will receive a 26.2 percent share followed by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) with 17.1 percent, which increased its share by TL 7 million compared to 2011 general election. The HDP's share will be 13.8 percent. According to the Political Parties Act, political parties receive 0.04 percent of the general budget's revenues as Treasury grants; the grants are determined according to the valid votes parties receive in parliamentary elections. The Treasury grants, which will be distributed until the next election, currently total around TL 177 million for 2015 and it is expected to increase by 10 percent next year. The AK Party will receive around TL 99 million this year but its grant amount will decrease to TL 83.5 million next year. The CHP, which generally receives around TL 51.7 million, will receive a grant of around TL 50 million next year, and the MHP, which currently receives TL 26 million, will receive TL 33.3 million next year.