June 2015 Turkish general election

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced the election manifesto of the Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and pledged to bring Türkiye to the level they deserve.

The Constitutional Court has tasked a rapporteur for penning the report on the closure case of the Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) after the party refused to make a verbal defense before the court on April 11.

The joint presidential candidate of the opposition, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has reiterated his objective of establishing the "Organization of Peace and Cooperation in the Middle East" if he comes to power in the May polls, stressing that there is no reason why Türkiye, Iran, Iraq and Syria can't live together in peace.

A total of 13 out of 26 political parties that submitted their parliamentary candidate lists to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) will enter May 14 elections on their own, while 13 others will run under alliances.

The Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) has announced its decision not to make a verbal defense before the Constitutional Court in reaction to the top court's rejection of its appeal to postpone it to a post-election date.

Members of Pro-Kurdish party Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) shout slogans against government in Istanbul, Turkey, 25 September 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

"Our party will not give a verbal self-defence on April 11 against the attitude of the Constitutional Court, which means interference in free and fair elections," the HDP said in a statement.

Four small parties of the six-party oppositional Nation Alliance have decided to run for the Parliament with the ticket of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in order to maximize the number of seats of the alliance in May 14 polls.

As four presidential candidates have been confirmed to run for the presidency, the political alliances have now intensified works to find a best formulation to increase the number of seats they will get in the parliament in the May 14 elections. The ultimate lists of potential members of parliament will need to be submitted to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) at the latest on April 9.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has slammed U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake for paying a visit to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the Republican People's Party and joint presidential candidate of the opposition alliance.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has denied allegations that irregular migrants are entering through the Turkish borders in massive numbers, stressing that political comments by the opposition that suggest an increase in the refugees are based on some footage taken in different countries and at different times.