Candidates ready to compete in first round for parliament speaker's office

Hours before Turkey?s newly elected parliament was scheduled to gather on June 30 to elect a new speaker, candidates resumed visits to party leaders to seek support for their bids, while the legitimacy of one candidate was questioned and two of the four parties in parliament refused to visit each other?s candidate.

Meanwhile, acting Parliamentary Speaker Deniz Baykal of the Republican People?s Party (CHP) announced that he would chair the plenary session, yet would not cast a vote as he is running for the post after having been nominated by his party.

There is no legal and political practice as well as no practice stemming from customs which would prevent him from presiding over the plenary session, Baykal told reporters, while speaking in his hometown and constituency Antalya on June 29.

There is also no legal obstacle prohibiting him from casting a vote because he is a candidate, Baykal added.

?Although there is no legal obstacle, in order to prevent any hesitance in anyone?s minds, as well as any ethical problem, I will not cast a vote at tomorrow?s session,? he said. 

In the first two rounds of voting scheduled for June 30, candidates are required to get the support of at least 367 members of parliament in the 550-seat assembly. In a third round of voting on July 1, a minimum of 276 votes is needed. In the fourth and final round, the candidate with the most votes will be elected speaker. 

Acting in unity and number of seats

In Ankara, CHP Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Levent Gök voiced reservations about the nomination of incumbent Defense Minister ?smet Y?lmaz from the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Speaking at a press conference, Gök underlined the differences between a deputy and...