ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed with nationalist party MHP leader Devlet Bahceli not to renew the state of emergency introduced after the failed coup in July 2016, sources said.
Bahceli, who was decisive in securing Erdogan’s re-election last Sunday and whose support is necessary for AKP to have an absolute majority in parliament, was allegedly reluctant to lift the emergency measures as promised by the incumbent president during the election campaign.
The leaders reached an agreement during a meeting at the presidential palace in Ankara on Wednesday, local media quoted presidential sources as saying.
The UN estimates that at least 160,000 people have been arrested and 152,000 removed from public office under the state of emergency imposed after the July 15, 2016 failed coup and renewed every three months. It is currently due to expire on July 18.
APP/AFP