MHP's candidate announced as first runner for parliament speaker post

Soon after taking his oath with other members of the newly elected national assembly on Nov. 17, a high-profile Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy has applied to run as a candidate for the post of parliament speaker, Turkey's second most senior position in state protocol.

MHP Kayseri deputy Yusuf Halaço?lu's application to become the speaker of Turkey's 26th term of parliament for the next two years was filed to the secretariat of the assembly on Nov. 18, signed by MHP Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Oktay Vural and MHP Secretary-General ?smet Büyükataman.

The deadline for applications to the post is midnight on Nov. 21 and all rounds of voting are planned to be held and completed at the general assembly on Nov. 22.

In the first two rounds of voting, successful candidates are required to have the support of at least 367 MPs in the 550-seat assembly. In a third round of voting, a minimum of 276 votes is needed. If a fourth and final round is necessary, the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected speaker. 

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which holds 317 seats according to the results of the Nov. 1 general election, is expected to get its candidate elected in the third round.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) won 134 seats in the election, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) won 59 seats, and the MHP won 40 seats.

Istanbul deputy ?smail Kahraman and Sivas deputy ?smet Y?lmaz are being cited as potential parliament speaker candidates from the AKP. Kahraman is a veteran member of the party since its inception and is known to be close to President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an. Kahraman, who once served as minister from the now-defunct Refah (Welfare) Party, an Islamist predecessor of the...