ANKARA
In his bid to present a joint candidate with other opposition parties, Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader, Devlet Bahceli, met on Tuesday with former president Ahmet Necdet Sezer in order to discuss Turkey's presidential election.
"In a friendly environment, we presented our views," said Bahceli on the meeting. He had previously met with former president Suleyman Demirel last week on Friday to discuss the presidential election scheduled for August 10.
MHP previously confirmed that they wished to present a joint candidate, with other opposition parties, that can "embrace the entire nation" at the presidential election.
Both former presidents Sezer and Demirel are known for their pro-secular anti-government stance.
Head of the Constitutional Court from 1998 to 2000, Sezer became Turkey's tenth President when he was elected by the Grand National Assembly in 2000. He served until 2007. Suleyman Demirel preceded him as president from 1993 to 2000
Candidates for the August 10 presidential election can submit their applications to the country's elections authority from June 29 to July 3.
It will be the first time that the country’s president will be elected by direct popular vote.
A candidate needs more than 50 percent of the popular vote to be elected in the first round. If no one receives the required percentage, there will be a second round on August 24 between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first.
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