Presidential term limits don't apply to Erdoğan, top election body concludes

Photo: AA

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The Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) has released a justified decision regarding its rejection of objections against the nominations of the presidential candidates.

The most notable objection was based on the longstanding debate that whether President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could run for a third term despite the constitutional provision that no one can be elected more than twice.

The ruling camp argues that the provision came into force after a 2017 referendum for a switch to a presidential system, and this will be Erdoğan's second candidacy after the amendment.

Five opposition parties had filed appeals against Erdoğan's candidacy, alleging that it would violate the Constitution.

The council on March 30 announced the final list of candidates, rejecting appeals regarding Erdoğan, as well as the three other contenders.

The first dual election

In the justified decision, the YSK noted that the 2018 election was the first one under the provisions of articles 101 and 21/A of the Constitution, therefore it should be considered his first term.

The president's term in the office should be determined according to the date of the previous dual presidential and parliamentary elections, the YSK further noted, citing article 101 of the Constitution and article 3 of the No. 6271 Election Law.

While Erdoğan was first elected the president in August 2014, no parliamentary election was held simultaneously, the council stressed. "Since the date of the first dual election was June 24, 2018, the five-year term of office for the first term shall commence from this date."

The YSK's final decisions cannot be appealed.

The dual elections will be held on May 14. The main opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu seeks to end the 20-year rule of Erdoğan. The other candidates are Muharrem İnce, head of the Homeland (Memleket) Party who ran as the main opposition party's candidate in the 2018 elections, and Sinan Oğan, the candidate of the far-right Ancestral Alliance. (AEK/VK)