The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is prepared for elections – no matter if they are scheduled earlier or will be held on their initially planned date in June, the party’s leader Devlet Bahçeli said on Tuesday.
During MHP's party meeting in the capital Ankara, Bahçeli said: "Whether the presidential and parliamentary elections are held on time or delayed, we are ready for both options. However, in order to decide, a ‘yes’ vote of 360 deputies is needed, or the president has to announce elections based on his constitutional authority."
He also criticized the main opposition coalition for ruling out elections before April 6.
Similarly, Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party)'s spokesperson Ömer Çelik a day earlier said that the party is considering a "slight change" on the election date scheduled for mid-June.
When asked about snap elections during a press conference, Çelik said: "Since this date (initial date for elections) corresponds with the summer holiday season when people are traveling, we are evaluating bringing the date slightly forward."
"This change of date will not amount to snap elections... There's no final decision from the higher board of the party yet, we are still evaluating the circumstances," Çelik added.
The next presidential and parliamentary elections in Türkiye are expected to be held in June 2023. MHP and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) are partners under the People's Alliance, with Erdoğan serving as the alliance's candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
One of the main promises of the opposition, formed by the Republican People's Party (CHP), the Felicity Party (SP), the Good Party (IP), the Future Party (GP), the Democrat Party (DP) and the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), is to return to a "strengthened parliamentary system" if elected.
The proposed system also limits the president to a single seven-year term and requires that the president sever his ties to political parties and prohibits them from joining a political party after their term.
It has been nearly five years since Türkiye switched from a parliamentary system to the current presidential system after most Turkish voters opted for the formation of the new system. Turkish voters narrowly endorsed an executive presidency on April 16, 2017, with a referendum of 51.4% votes in favor. The official transition to the new system took place when Erdoğan was sworn in as the president in Parliament after the 2018 general elections, which he won by a majority of 52.6% votes.
Given the atmosphere of elections in Türkiye, the CHP earlier this month unveiled a new vision titled "Call to the Second Century" promising "deep-rooted change," barely a month after the AK Party announced its vision, "Century of Türkiye" aimed at strengthening the country as it enters the second century of being a republic.
The CHP, along with its allies, fail to express a clear stance and produce a final presidential candidate against Erdoğan while Türkiye inches closer to the next election that is slated for June. CHP Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu recently said that the six-party coalition did not discuss how to choose a candidate yet because "it is not on our agenda."