Electoral alliance equals transparency, Deputy PM Bozdağ says

Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesperson Bekir Bozdağ stressed that electoral alliances will bring the opportunity to make upfront politics, saying that alliances aim to be transparent.

"It will allow those who want to do honest politics before the eyes of the nation. Do it together or do it alone, but make it public. Do it in front of the citizens," the deputy prime minister said about alliance system on Sunday.

Speaking at the 18th Academy of Politics at Bartın, Bozdağ underlined that the new system will enhance the power of the public. He indicated that with the new system the only way to take power and be overthrown will depend on the will of the nation that is expressed by ballots.

Regarding the new electoral system, Bozdağ also clarified the dynamics of the new alterations in Turkey's political arena. "In the parliamentary system, the government may overthrow the president with interpellation, but in the presidential government system, it cannot fall with interpellation. It cannot overthrow the president. In this system, the only thing that will put the president out of office is the vote given by the Turkish nation," Bozdağ said.

Additionally, while underlining the advantages of the new system, Bozdağ also emphasized that an electoral alliance does not mean a coalition. "An electoral alliance is a transparency before the eyes of the public while calling elections. A coalition is a setting that forms after the elections," he said. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) brought their efforts to form an alliance on a legal basis after a 26-article bill was submitted to Parliament last month. The bill passed the constitutional committee last week and began to be discussed in the general session yesterday. The previous system, which did not allow electoral alliances, was expected to be replaced with a new one after the constitutional changes were approved in the April 16 referendum.