Parliament to convene, deputies to take oath on July 8


The newly elected members of Parliament are expected to convene on July 8 to take their oaths following the announcement of the official results of the June 24 elections by Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK) on July 5. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is also expected to take his presidential oath on the same day.

Erdoğan claimed a win with 52.6 percent in Sunday's presidential elections, while the People's Alliance, formed between his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) secured 344 parliamentary seats, gaining the majority in the 600-seat Parliament.

According to the Constitution, parliamentarians should take their oath on the third day after the YSK announces the official results of the elections. Erdoğan is expected to take his oath along with the parliamentarians. The oldest member of Parliament will chair the first session until the election of new parliamentary speaker.

The new parliamentarians will take their oaths in alphabetical order and recite the oath text in Parliament chairs.

The AK Party received 42.6 percent of the vote and 295 seats in Parliament in Sunday's election, while the MHP secured 11.1 percent of the overall vote and 49 seats in Parliament. The rival alliance, the Nation Alliance formed by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the Good Party (İP) and the Felicity Party (SP) received 33.9 percent of the vote and 189 seats in Parliament. The pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) received 11.7 percent of the vote and secured 67 seats.

Turkey had approved a shift from the parliamentary system to a presidential one in a referendum on a constitutional amendments package on April 16, 2017. The government in Turkey will now be led by a president with the elimination of the position of prime minister in the new system.