New Political Group Established At Turkish Parliament

ANKARA - The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) has established a new political group at the Turkish parliament and sent a petition about establishment of the group to the Parliament Speaker's Office.

Meanwhile, number of BDP member deputies increased to 20 after Ufuk Uras, an independent deputy from Istanbul, joined the political party.

The new political group is expected to hold its first meeting at the parliament on January 5, 2010.

Current distribution of seats of political parties at the parliament following the establishment of BDP political group is as follows:

Justice and Development (AK) Party: 338

Republican People's Party (CHP) : 97

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) : 69

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) : 20

Independent : 10

Democratic Left Party (DTP) : 8

Democrat Party : 1

Turkey Party : 1

Total : 544