Erdogan rules out early elections in Turkey

24/04/2008

ANKARA, Turkey -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled out the possibility of early elections during a meeting with members of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Wednesday (April 23rd). Erdogan briefed the MPs on the defence strategy lawyers representing the AKP plan to use in arguments before the Constitutional Court. Turkey's chief prosecutor, Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, asked the court to shut down the party because, in his view, it has become a "focal point" for activities that undermine secularism.

Erdogan assured the MPs that the defence strategy is solid and that for now, at least, early elections are unnecessary. He added that the AKP plans to proceed with draft changes to the constitution and the Law on Political Parties that would make banning parties more difficult. (Zaman - 24/04/08; ANKA - 23/04/08)