Cemil Çiçek

It is futile and baseless to launch a discussion about the election rule of 50 percent plus one vote for electing the president, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader has said, reiterating its loyalty to the People's Alliance with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). 

The constitutional obligation of garnering 50 percent plus one vote for being elected as the president causes serious political and systemic problems, a senior presidential aide and veteran politician has said, calling on both the government and the opposition to come together to fix it.

Turkey's impressive democratization process began in late 1999 after the European Union approved Ankara's full membership candidacy to the bloc at the historic Helsinki Summit. As a diplomatic correspondent who has been covering the troubled relationship between Turkey and the EU for more than two decades, I had the chance to observe all phases and all dimensions of this bitter process. 

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) brought together prominent party figures, past and present, in a bid to mobilize them ahead of the April 16 referendum on shifting Turkey to an executive presidential system, though former President Abdullah Gül and former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu were not present at the meeting. 

The opposition has slammed the ruling party over the termination of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ's parliamentary status, even as the prime minister hinted at further dismissals. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has again slammed Germany after airport police in Cologne temporarily held Turkish Parliament Deputy Speaker Ayşenur Bahçekapılı due to a problem with her passport.

It is the fate of all revolutions to devour their own children as they clear obstacles from the path. If you consider the Justice and Development Party's (AK Parti) time in power to be a "democratic revolution through votes," (or the "AK revolution" as the official party line goes), you may conclude that history has started to repeat itself within the AK Parti.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has set a six-month calendar for the work of a parliamentary panel tasked with drafting a new constitution, with Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu voicing his determination to produce a constitution aimed at transitioning to a presidential system.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has put the final touches on its timeline to form a new government, as the country's top election body released the final results of the Nov. 1 snap elections, confirming the AKP had regained its parliamentary majority.

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu held a lengthy meeting with Deniz Baykal, the former leader of his party, leading to speculation the CHP could support Baykal in his probable run for the parliament speaker's office.