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Turkey to Hold Elections in June, More Than a Year Early

by VOA News

   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says presidential and
   parliamentary elections will be held more than a year ahead of
   schedule, in order to accelerate the switch to an executive presidency
   and address challenges that lie ahead.

   President Erdogan said Wednesday the elections will take place on June
   24 of this year, instead of in November 2019.

   Erdogan made the announcement after speaking with the leader of
   Turkey's main nationalist party, Devlet Bahceli, who, the previous day,
   floated the prospect of early elections.

   "Even though the president and government are working in unison, the
   diseases of the old system confront us at every step we take," Erdogan
   said in a televised speech.

   Turkey is switching from a parliamentary system to a presidential one
   that will increase the powers of the president.

   "Developments in Syria and elsewhere have made it urgent to switch to
   the new executive system in order to take steps for our country's
   future in a stronger way," Erdogan said.

   The government had previously rejected the idea of early elections, but
   Erdogan narrowly won a referendum last year to change the constitution
   and create an executive presidency.

   The enhanced powers of the presidency will take effect after the June
   elections.