Freedom and Solidarity Party

In the first parliamentary election since the murder two years ago of journalist Jan Kuciak, the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLANO) party took almost 25 per cent of the vote, compared with 18.5 per cent for SMER-SD.

It was SMER-SD's first loss in a general election since 2006 and its worst showing at the ballot box since 2002.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has nominated a member of the socialist Freedom and Solidarity Party's (ÖDP) board of chairs, Alper Taş, to run for mayor of Istanbul's central Beyoğlu district on its ticket.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu paid a courtesy visit to Gültekin Uysal, the head of the minor opposition Democrat Party (DP) on May 18.

Riot police and water cannons stood on alert on May 31 as Taksim Square and Gezi Park, alongside numerous roads and metro stations leading to Taksim, were closed to prevent gatherings called by Taksim Solidarity, a collective organization of several rights groups at the center of the Gezi Park protests, to commemorate the second anniversary of the nationwide anti-government protests. 

Riot police and water cannons stood on alert on May 31 as Taksim Square and Gezi Park, alongside numerous roads and metro stations leading to Taksim, were closed to prevent gatherings called by Taksim Solidarity, a collective organization of several rights groups at the center of the Gezi Park protests, to commemorate the second anniversary of the nationwide anti-government protests. 

A total of 12 political parties have withdrawn from the June 7 parliamentary elections in Turkey, with 11 of them not submitting their lists of nomination candidates by April 7.

Eleven of the 31 political parties which were eligible to enter the elections on June 7 did not submit their lists, automatically disqualifying them from the election ballot. 

A local newspaper in Turkey?s Thracian province of Edirne has reported that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras? family was originally from the nearby town of K?rklareli.