The first two rounds in the elections were held on Tuesday, but both were inconclusive. In yesterday's vote, Şahin was followed by Kesici (103), Kutluata (66) and Genç (1). Eight votes were blank, while one was canceled.
The candidates needed the votes of 276 of Parliament's 550 members to be elected in the third round. During the first two rounds, this figure was 367. AK Party's Şahin was unable to secure this amount of votes in Tuesday's first election due to a lack of support from opposition parties. Şahin addressed deputies after his election and thanked every deputy for the duty, responsibility and honor they conferred upon him.
“In the next legislative year, which will start in October, a heavy agenda will be waiting for us. Parliament will take steps to strengthen democracy and provide better services to the public in the next legislative year. … It is the most prominent duty of Parliament to move Turkey to the level of contemporary civilizations. We will do our utmost to this end,” he noted. The AK Party currently holds 338 seats in Parliament, followed by the CHP with 97 seats, the MHP, which has 69 seats and the DTP, which has 21 seats. The DSP has eight seats in Parliament, while the Turkey Party (TP) has a single deputy. There are 10 independents.
Şahin is expected to take over the post from current Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan on Aug. 9. Toptan was elected with a record number of votes, securing the support of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in an election conducted after the early parliamentary elections of July 22, 2007. Toptan was, however, not re-nominated by the AK Party, largely due to disapproval of his performance over the past two years.
It was impossible for opposition parties to get their candidates elected. According to parliamentary bylaws, a candidate must garner at least 367 votes in the first and second rounds to be elected the new parliament speaker. A candidate can win with just 276 votes in the third round. If deputies fail to elect their speaker in the third round, then the candidate who garners the most votes in the fourth round will win.
