ANKARA
Turkish Parliament’s constitutional committee on Thursday approved a motion seeking early presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24.
The bill bears the signature of Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli.
Parliament's general assembly is expected to debate the bill on Friday.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday announced a plan to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, more than one year earlier they had initially been scheduled, in November 2019.
The announcement came after Bahceli -- whose party is set to enter elections in an alliance with the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party -- called for early elections.
Announcing the decision, Erdogan said: “Turkey’s cross-border operation in Syria, and the situation in both Syria and Iraq, obliged Turkey to overcome uncertainties as soon as possible.”
"At a time when developments in Syria accelerated, and we have to take very important decisions, from macroeconomic equilibrium to large investments, the election issue should be taken off the table as soon as possible," he added.
