Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 17
By Orkhan Quluzade – Trend:
Turkey’s Justice and Development Party will offer President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to become a member of the party, Turkish media reported citing the party’s deputy chairman, Mustafa Elitas.
The offer will be sent to the president in late April after Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council approves the results of the referendum on amendments to the constitution, which provide for the introduction of a presidential system in the country, according to Elitas.
One of the amendments to the constitution envisages that the Turkish president can be a member of a political party. The current constitution stipulates that the president-elect cannot be affiliated with a party.
Erdogan founded the Justice and Development Party in 2001. He had to leave it in 2014 due to being elected a president.
According to preliminary data, 51.4 percent of votes in a referendum held April 16 were in favor of amendments to the Turkish constitution.
The amendments provide for the number of seats in the Turkish Parliament to be increased from 550 to 600.
It is also suggested that Turkish citizens can run for the MP seats from the age of 18. Currently, the lowest age limit is 25.
The amendments also provide for holding parliamentary elections every 5 years. Currently, the parliamentary elections are held every 4 years.
A Turkish citizen no younger than 40 can become a president, according to the amendments.