Turkey: Nationalist Movement Party sets May 15 congress

ANKARA

An extraordinary congress for Turkey's opposition Nationalist Movement Party will be held on May 15, a special committee announced Tuesday.

In a statement, the committee, which was appointed by the Ankara Civil Court of Peace, said that the process for the extraordinary congress was launched according to party bylaws and the authority granted by the court.

"The first extraordinary meeting will be held on May 15, 2016 at 10:00 pm," the written statement said, adding that if the first session lacks a quorum, the congress will be adjourned until May 22.

The congress venue will be announced later, the statement added.

The court earlier ruled that the party must convene an extraordinary congress after dissident members applied for one in the wake of the party's poor showing in last year’s elections.

A total of 543 delegates sent a petition to party headquarters demanding an extraordinary congress. The petition filed at an Ankara court in February criticizes the MHP leadership for not calling an extraordinary general convention.

The row follows the poor showing for the party in last November’s general election. The MHP lost its position as the third-largest group in parliament, falling behind the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, who has led the party since 1997, refused the push for an extraordinary congress.

Party bylaws ban the election of a new leader at extraordinary congresses. For this reason, the dissidents are hoping to change the bylaws at the extraordinary congress to elect a new party leader at the next congress.