Early elections destabilize Turkey, says BBP leader

ANKARA

Amid an early elections debate in Turkey, an opposition leader said on Tuesday that early polls destabilize the country.

"Turkey needs stabilization, an early election decision breaks this stabilization," Mustafa Destici, head of the Grand Unity Party (BBP), told reporters in parliament.

"We do not need any early elections today, I don't consider such kind of demand," he said, adding that voting should be held on time in 2023.

Destici called for changes in Turkey's political parties and election law.

"We should regulate lawmaker transfer, which defames [political] parties, politics and the parliament," he said.

The BBP leader also demanded the removal of 10% election threshold -- the minimum share of votes to gain seats within a legislature -- for political parties.

Voters in 2017 decided to turn Turkey from a parliamentary system to an executive presidential system of governance.

Next elections will be held in June 2023, according to the constitution.