Oktay Eksi, temporary speaker of Turkish Parliament, handed over the seat to newly elected Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek on Monday.

Lawmaker Cemil Cicek of the Justice & Development (AK) Party became the new parliament speaker of Turkey in the third round of vote on Monday. AK Party's candidate Cicek got 322 votes, whereas Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) candidate Tunca Toskay won 50 votes in the third round of vote.

Under the constitution, one has to win two-thirds of total number of MPs (367 votes) to be elected a parliament speaker in the first two rounds of vote. If candidates fail to gain this number of votes, they have to win the votes of absolute majority of the parliament, which is equal to 276 votes, in the third round.

After the parliament speaker is elected, Chairmanship Council will be set up. Political parties will nominate their members for the council and present the list to the parliament speaker's office. Then, the list will be submitted to the consent of the general assembly.

According to parliament by-laws, the Chairmanship Council consists of a chairman, four deputy chairmen, seven members and three administrative chiefs.

After the parliament speaker is elected, Chairmanship Council is set up and the new government is formed, the government will read out its program at the parliament. Two days after the government program is read out at parliament, MPs will debate the program. The vote of confidence will take place a day after the debates on government program end.

After taking over the seat, Cicek said that he would exert utmost effort to be an objective parliament speaker, and added that he would also expecting the support of all deputies, political parties in the Parliament, and group chairmen.

Cicek wished that the new parliamentary term would be good for everyone.

AA