Turkey’s election date 99.9% May 14

Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on May 14 with a 99.9 percent probability, pro-government journalist Hande Firat said.

Ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) senior officials have held two meetings over the election date on Wednesday, Firat told CNN Turk.

“As a result of these meetings, it seems that with a 99.9% probability, the elections will be held on May 14,” she said.

The outcome of the technical evaluations made during the meetings were also presented to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan afterwards, Firat said, adding that Erdogan instructed the authorities to do whatever is technically necessary for the elections to be held on May 14.

Following two major earthquakes that hit Turkey’s southeast on Feb.6, claiming more than 43,000 lives, the postponement of elections has become an issue of debate.

Last week, an official from Erdogan’s ruling AKP told Reuters that following the tremors, the "physical conditions" were not suitable to hold the elections on time, signalling a postponement to November.

Opposition parties on the other hand have strongly rejected a postponement, stating that such move would be a blow to democracy, as it is against Turkey’s Constitution.

Article 78 of the Constitution states that the elections in the country can only be postponed for one year by the decision of the Turkish parliament in case of war. In other words, according to the Constitution, elections cannot be postponed for any reason other than war.

Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for June 18 at the latest. Erdogan last month announced plans to hold the elections on May 14.