Women's representation in Turkish parliament at highest level in history

By Sinan Uslu

ANKARA (AA) - Women's representation in the Turkish parliament will be the highest level in history after Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

According to the unofficial results, 121 women secured seats in the 600-member parliament.

The female representation rate, which was 17.1% in the previous elections, rose to 20.1% this year.

The Green Left Party has the highest female representation rate with 30 women out of 61 lawmakers in parliament. This was followed by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the Republican People's Party (CHP), the Good Party (Iyi Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

A total of 50 female deputies from the AK Party, 30 from the CHP and the Green Left Party, six from the Iyi Party, four from the MHP, and one from the Turkish Workers' Party, entered the parliament.

The youngest members of the new parliament were also two women. Zehranur Aydemir, 25, became the AK Party Ankara Deputy and Rumeysa Kadak, 27, became AK Party Istanbul Deputy.

Millions of Turkish voters went to polls on Sunday to elect the country’s next president and members of parliament.

The first round of voting ended with no candidate able to clear the required 50% threshold, but incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the lead, said Ahmet Yener, head of the Supreme Election Council, citing unofficial results.

Voter turnout in Sunday’s elections was 88.92%, with turnout from Turkish citizens abroad at 52.69%, Yener said.

Erdogan’s People’s Alliance won a majority in parliament, while the presidential race is headed to a second-round runoff on May 28.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar