Baku, Azerbaijan, July 8
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised not to be neutral if elected president, the country's TRT Haber TV channel reported on July 8.
"There has never been a neutral president in Turkey's history," the prime minister stressed, adding that he will be on the people's side if elected president.
"The president will govern the state and will be a commander-in-chief as well," Erdogan said.
The presidential election in Turkey has been scheduled for August 10, 2014. If none of the candidates gains 51 percent of votes in the first round, the second round will take place on August 24.
As distinct from the previous presidential election, the Turkish president will be elected by the people, not by the parliament as of 2014, according to the results of a referendum held in 2007.The Turkish president will be elected for five-year term instead of the previous seven-year term, according to the referendum results.
Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party nominated Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's candidacy for the presidential election on July 1.
Turkish oppositional Republican People's Party (CHP) nominated the former Secretary-General of the OIC Ihsanoglu as a candidate for the presidential elections on June 16.
CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said that Ihsanoglu is a kind of person, whose candidacy will be supported by all segments of the society.
Haber7 TV channel earlier reported that disagreements are growing in Turkish oppositional Republican People's Party (CHP) over the presidential candidacy of Ihsanoglu.
Reportedly, the Turkish Alawites, who are supporting the party, have refused to vote for Ihsanoglu in the upcoming presidential election. CHP is expected to nominate the MP Emine Ulker Tarhan's candidacy in the days to come, according to the report.
Five political parties of Turkey, namely, the Republican People's Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Democratic Left Party (DSP), Independent Turkey Party (BTP) and Democratic Party (DP) have agreed on supporting Ihsanoglu's candidacy for president.
Edited by CN