Interim chairman of Turkish parliament named

Former head of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Deniz Baykal has been appointed the interim head of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly (parliament), TRT Haber TV channel reported Nov.17.

Baykal will head the parliament until forming the new government.

The members of the Grand National Assembly took an oath Nov.17.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu attended the ceremony.

The ruling Justice and Development Party has 317 seats in the parliament, the Republican People's Party – 134 seats, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) – 40 and Peoples'Democratic Party (HDP) – 59 seats, according to Turkey’s Central Election Commission.

Turkey held snap parliamentary election Nov.1, as a result of which the Justice and Development Party garnered 49.41 percent of votes.

Republican People's Party (CHP) gathered 25.38 percent of votes, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) – 11.93 percent, Democratic People's Party (HDP) – 10.7 percent.

The remaining political parties garnered 2.58 percent of votes.

/By Trend/