CHP leader rules out delay of snap elections

ANKARA

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has dismissed the claims of postponement of the early elections scheduled for Nov. 1.

His statements come after the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairman, Selahattin Demirtas, said conditions to hold early elections in Turkey’s eastern parts were unsuitable. He added that the interim government may think of delaying the polls.

"It is not right even to talk about delaying the elections. It means disbelief in democracy," Kilicdaroglu told the press Saturday afternoon as he left an event held by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations for the opening of the new judicial year.

He stressed that the decision to hold elections had already been taken.

"We do not want any delay. The elections must be held with the security of the polls ensured," he added.

Asked about an alleged offer by the Justice and Development (AK) Party to put surveillance cameras in polling areas, the CHP leader said all ballot boxes could be protected with cameras and that his party would have no objection to such a practice.

Snap elections in Turkey will be held on Nov. 1, nearly five months after an inconclusive election on June 7 saw no party win an overall majority. 

A provisional government was established by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Aug. 28 to steer Turkey to a rerun of June’s polls.

The interim Cabinet includes representatives from Davutoglu’s AK Party, one lawmaker from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and two from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).