Turkey’s Supreme Election Council receives 81 objections regarding local elections

Duvar English

With the end of the ordinary objection process to the local elections on April 10, political parties submitted a total of 81 objections to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) for provincial, district, and town elections.

While YSK received 18 objections from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), it rejected 17 of them and accepted one.

YSK rejected all 24 objections made by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), including the one for the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality.

On the other hand, two of the 12 objections made by the Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party were accepted, one of which was the Van Metropolitan Municipality election which sparked widespread protests upon the government’s attempt to hijack elections in the province.

All nine objections raised by the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), nine objections by the Islamist far-right New Welfare Party (YRP), four objections by the ultra-nationalist Grand Unity Party (BBP), one objection from the Good (İYİ) Party, and one objection from the Patriotic Party (VP) were dismissed.

On 31 March, following the completion of the vote counting, the objection process to the district and provincial election boards and the YSK started. Objections were submitted to the district election boards until April 2, to the provincial election boards until April 5, and to the YSK until April 10. 

The extraordinary objection process started on April 7 and will continue until April 14. After the YSK evaluates the last objections, the final election results will be announced.

YSK's decisions are final and political parties cannot apply to another court for appeals.

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