ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2023) All ministers in the cabinet of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will become candidates for deputies from different regions of the country at the general election scheduled for May 14, Turkish media reported on Thursday.
The relevant instruction was issued by Erdogan, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported, adding that the decision had been taken despite some ministers' reluctance to take part in the election.
The political parties taking part in the country's general election are to submit their final lists of candidates to Turkey's Supreme Election Commission on April 9, the report said
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay will stand as a candidate in Ankara, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar will be nominated for the city of Kayseri, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu will represent Istanbul or the country's provinces on the Black Sea coast, while Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag will be nominated for the city of Sanliurfa, Hurriyet reported.
Murat Kurum, the environment minister, and Adil Karaismailoglu, the minister of transport and infrastructure, could be candidates for Istanbul. Fahrettin Koca, the minister of health, will likely represent the province of Hatay, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu may be a candidate for Antalya, Minister of National education Mahmut Ozer will be nominated for Izmir and Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the minister of culture and tourism, will stand as a candidate in the city of Aydin, the report said.
Turkey's Supreme Election Commission has unanimously approved May 14 as the date for the 2023 presidential election. A second round of voting, if necessary, is scheduled for May 28. Incumbent Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been nominated as a presidential candidate by the ruling Justice and Development Party supported by the allied Nationalist Movement Party, while Kemal Kilicdaroglu has been declared the single candidate of the opposition People's Alliance.
Results of pre-election polls are constantly changing and have not yet revealed an unquestionable favorite in the upcoming election. However, experts note that the current electoral process will be the most difficult for the ruling party, due to the devastating earthquakes that have claimed the lives of over 50,000 people, as well as the difficult economic situation.
