?Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) attends an oath-taking ceremony at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7, 2018. Up to 600 Turkish lawmakers on Saturday began taking their oath to serve in the new parliament, following the general elections held in June that have shifted more power to the presidency. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)
ANKARA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Up to 600 Turkish lawmakers on Saturday began taking their oath to serve in the new parliament, following the general elections held in June that have shifted more power to the presidency.
In the new 600-seat parliament, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has 295 seats, thus needs support from the allied Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) which owns 49 seats, to ensure an overall majority.
Opposition lawmakers are from the Republican People's Party (CHP), Kurdish issue-focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and nationalist Good (IYI) Party.
"Our goal is a powerful parliament, a powerful government and a powerful Turkey," Erdogan said earlier Saturday as he addressed AKP lawmakers, stressing the importance of establishing presidential system in Turkey.
Being approved by a constitutional referendum last April, Turkey' political system is changing from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency, which abolishes the office of the prime minister and changes parliament's responsibilities.
Binali Yildirim, Turkey's last prime minster, has been nominated as the AKP's candidate for the parliament speaker's post.
The oath-taking in parliament will finish at midnight on July 11 and the new parliament speaker will be elected on July 12.
