By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA 

The ruling party’s candidate for Istanbul mayor on Thursday offered to quit his position as parliament speaker if other candidates similarly stepped down.

"Here you are, [if] all candidates resign, then we will [too]," Binali Yildirim told parliamentary correspondents at a breakfast.

Yildirim also urged parliament to pass a law forcing all mayoral candidates to step down from their offices.

Yildirim, a former prime minister, is the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s candidate for Istanbul mayor in local elections set for March 31.

The Istanbul mayor’s office is an important post, as the metropolis includes nearly one in five of Turkey's population.

Opposition parties have called on Yildirim to quit his post as parliament speaker.

During the breakfast, Yildirim also spoke in honor of January 10 Working Journalists' Day, which has been celebrated since 1961 to honor the rights of journalists.