Echr Decides In Favor Of Electoral Threeshold In Turkey

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decided on Tuesday that the 10 percent electoral threshold in Turkey was not a violation of human rights. Thirteen judges of the Grand Chamber voted for the decision, while four voted against.

Members of the now defunct Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) Resul Sadak and Mehmet Yumak had filed a case with the ECHR in 2003 claiming that the 10 percent electoral threshold in Turkey was a violation of human rights.

The Turkish electoral legislation requires a party to cross a threshold of 10 percent of the votes validly cast nationally in order to obtain seats in the National Assembly.