AKP candidate elected Turkey's new parliament speaker
Xinhua, July 1, 2015 Adjust font size:
Turkey's parliament elected Wednesday Ismet Yilman, candidate of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), as its new speaker.
Yilman, a former defense minister of the AKP that has 258 seats in the 550-seat parliament, was elected in the fourth round with the whole votes of his party.
In his brief victory speech, Yilmaz vowed to uphold the constitution, laws and parliamentary by-laws and to be impartial speaker.
"The nation waits for a new constitution," he said, while emphasizing the rule of law, pluralism, separation of powers and universal values in drafting the new charter.
"People look towards the parliament as a place to resolve problems," he noted.
He underlined he will protect the dignity of the parliament in utmost respect.
In the general elections last month, the AKP failed to maintain strong public support in what was described as the most critical election for Turkey although it is still the leading party. Endit