Election threshold could change if presidential system adopted: Turkish PM

Turkish voters living in Germany cast their ballots on the constitutional referendum at the Postpalast in Munich, southern Germany, March 27, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

ANKARA - Turkey's political parties law and election procedure could be changed if Turkey adopts a presidential system after the April 16 referendum, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Monday.

If the constitutional amendment passes at the referendum, the 10 percent election threshold could be discussed and lowered, Yildirim said, cited by local Haber Turk channel.

"Because with the new model under the presidential system, the lawmakers rather than political parties will be at the forefront," he noted at a meeting in Ankara.

Under the present election threshold, in general elections a political party must receive 10 percent of the votes nationwide for any of its candidates to win a seat in parliament.

Ruling out any possibility of early elections after the referendum in the event the constitutional amendments are approved by the public, Yildirim said "The election will be held on Nov 3, 2019, as is planned."

The minister stressed that the constitutional amendment necessitated drastic changes to current laws, especially in the Election Law and Political Parties Act.

"We will make effort to regulate the legal infrastructure of Turkish law until 2019," he said.

The constitutional referendum will be hold on April 16, which will bring drastic changes to the country's political system, including a shift to an executive presidential system from the current parliamentary system.