Turkish lawmakers on Sunday elected ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) candidate and Deputy Parliament Speaker Mustafa Shentop to be the speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Trend reported citing Daily Sabah.
Şentop was nominated by AK Party after the previous speaker Binalı Yıldırım resigned from his post to participate in the upcoming local elections.
In the first round, Shentop received 322 votes in the 600-seat Parliament, while main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Engin Altay received 120 votes, followed by opposition Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) candidate Serpil Kemalbay Pekgozegu with 45 votes, opposition Good Party's (IP) Imam Huseyn Filiz with 35 votes. Six votes were deemed invalid.
In the second round, Shentop got 333 votes, while Altay got 126, Pekgozegu 45, and Filiz 35.
Şentop won in the third round by receiving the majority of the votes.
In accordance with the Turkish Constitution, the election was conducted via secret ballot.
In the first two rounds of voting, at least 401 out of 600 deputies' votes are needed to win, while in the third round of voting, a minimum of 301 votes is needed.
If a fourth round is necessary, the candidate with the largest number of votes is elected.