Prime Ministry declares Oct. 30 administrative holiday in the run-up to polls

ANKARA

DHA photo

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu signed on Oct. 22 a decree declaring Oct. 30 as an administrative holiday in the run-up to the Nov. 1 snap elections. 

The top election authority set Nov. 1 as the date for Turkey’s early elections, with its head stating that it took “seasonal conditions” into consideration while making its decision.

When Nov. 1 was selected as poll day, speculation mounted over the possible impact of an election on Nov. 1, as there is an official holiday in the preceding days. It was thought that some civil servants may plan to extend their one-day official Republic Day holiday on Oct. 29, negatively impacting voter turnout.