Justice Minister: Lower Election Threshold 'Good' For Turkey

Turkey's political parties which say the 10 percent election threshold is too high and 'undemocratic', will also say 'no' to a zero percent threshold, the justice minister said on Friday.



"Unfortunately, our political parties are uncertain on this issue," Bekir Bozdag said in the central province of Yozgat where he attended an opening ceremony of a Mosque.



As Turkey leaves behind the March 30 local elections, the incumbent AK Party has prepared a draft bill on a new electoral system, which could change the election threshold, the minimum share of the vote a political party requires to secure any representation, ahead of general elections next year. 



On September 30, 2013, Turkey's Prime Minister announced a democratization package, which includes lowering the current 10 percent election threshold. 



Three alternatives were proposed in the democratization package: maintaining the 10 percent threshold, reducing it to 5 percent, or removing the threshold altogether and fully implementing the single-member district system.



"Political parties have not shared with the public which alternative they will choose," Bozdag said, but "lowering the threshold would be good for Turkey," he added. 



englishnews@aa.com.tr - Ankara