Eight international organizations will observe Turkey's early presidential and general elections on June 24, Turkish election watchdog announced on Friday.
The Turkish Supreme Board of Election (YSK) has provided accreditation to observers from eight international institutions for the upcoming elections, an official from the top election body told Anadolu Agency.
The YSK provided accreditations to all the organizations that applied to have short and long-term observers stationed in Turkey, said the official who spoke on conditions of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.
The organizations that will monitor whether the elections are conducted in fair, free and transparent environment are the following: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA), Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic Speaking Countries (TURKPA), Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council), and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
During Election Day, the observers will mainly monitor voting procedures such as counting, casting and recording votes without interrupting polling boards.
The observers will prepare a report by monitoring campaigning process, election participation and whether international election standards are upheld.
Six candidates, namely incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Muharrem Ince of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Selahattin Demirtaş of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Meral Akşener of the Good Party (IYI Party – IP), Temel Karamollaoğlu of the Felicity Party (SP) and Doğu Perinçek of the Patriotic Party (VP) are contesting at the presidential race. Eight political parties with five contesting under two electoral alinces are taking part in the parliamentary elections. Parties located on the ballots are AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), forming the People's Alliance, CHP, IP and SP, forming the Nation Alliance, and HDP, VP and Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR).
