AK Party says snap elections not on agenda

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has ruled out any rumors related to moving up the date for the next general elections, scheduled to be held in 2019.

Speaking to the media after a parliamentary group meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) yesterday, Erdoğan said: "Whoever made such claims should prove it. No such plan is part of our agenda,"

Following the president's statement, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) reiterated its calls for holding a snap election.

CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu called on the government yesterday to hold the general elections 17 months ahead of schedule, after five AK Party mayors recently resigned from their posts amid the party's rejuvenation bid.

Speaking at the CHP's parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, Kılıçdaroğlu said that the CHP would support if the proposal was discussed in Parliament, making them first among the opposition parties to openly voice support for a snap election.

Kılıçdaroğlu made the comments after the Mayor of capital Ankara, Melih Gökçek and the Mayor of northwestern Turkey's Bursa, Recep Altepe, announced that they would resign from their posts.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a recent interview that he was expecting three mayors to submit their resignations. The other mayor in question, Balıkesir's Ahmet Edip Uğur is yet to hand in his resignation papers.