President Erhürman vetoes election law change

President Tufan Erhürman has refused to sign a new law passed by the Assembly that would abolish the mixed voting system. Erhürman returned the legislation to the Assembly, citing concerns over legal stability and the timing of the change.

In a written statement, Erhürman emphasized that making fundamental changes to election legislation so close to an upcoming election could create uncertainty regarding the right to vote and be elected. He noted that such moves could set a problematic precedent and expressed a duty to act as a constitutional watchdog to ensure merit, standards, and oversight.

Kudret Özersay, leader of the People's Party, commented on the decision, noting that the argument against changing election rules shortly before a vote has been used by other political entities in the past. He highlighted that similar legislative shifts occurred in 2017, despite the proximity to the scheduled elections.