Yusuf Halaço

?smail Kahraman, the Istanbul deputy from the ranks of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), has been elected as the new parliament speaker in the third round of the voting on Nov 22. 

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) has nominated Istanbul deputy Ismail Kahraman as a candidate for the post of parliament speaker, Turkey's second most senior position in state protocol.

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.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has stripped one of its deputy parliamentary group chairs of his post days after controversial remarks in which he intimated that the public views the Republican People?s Party (CHP) as ?irreligious and non-believing.? 

Yusuf Halaço?lu, a spokesman for the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the Turkish Parliament, has said that he never said the social democratic Republican People?s Party (CHP) was ?irreligious and non-believing? during a telephone interview with the Hürriyet Daily News on July 8.

Statements by a veteran member of parliament, Republican People's Party's (CHP) Deniz Baykal, who recently lost his run for parliament speaker's office, led to disagreements over incidents leading up to the election of the speaker, which was finalized last week with the election of the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate, ?smet Y?lmaz.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has called on President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an to voice his justification for why he did not find the country?s top intelligence official?s transition to the political stage appropriate.

More tension has arisen in parliament after Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Ay?enur Bahçekap?l? requested a translation of statements by the Peoples? Democratic Party (HDP) in Kurdish to be translated into Turkish for the official stenograph.