Four opposition parties in Turkey agree to form election alliance

Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), İYİ Party, Felicity Party (SP) and Democrat Party (DP) agreed early Wednesday to form an alliance for the June 24 snap elections, with the name of the alliance to be determined by party leaders.

A CHP official who declined to be identified told Reuters the deal between the four parties would be formally announced at a news conference on Thursday.

It will enable the smaller parties in the alliance to skirt a regulation that mandates parties must receive at least 10 percent of the vote to enter Parliament. The deal creates a broad coalition against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling alliance.

Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has established an alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Broadcaster NTV said the opposition alliance deal would be signed at 3 p.m. on Thursday. A deadline of May 6 was set for election alliances to be filed with the Supreme Election Board (YSK).

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) will run individually in the elections.

The protocol of the four-party alliance will be signed by the four leaders on May 3 before being registered with the YSK.

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