Mustafa Şentop elected as new speaker of Turkish parliament

Turkish parliament on Sunday elected ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's lawmaker Mustafa Şentop as its new speaker.

Şentop, a lawmaker from northwestern Tekirdag province, received 336 votes in the third round of voting by the Grand National Assembly of 600 seats.

In the third round of voting, a minimum of 301 votes were needed to win the election.

The opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) supported Şentop in the election.

Speaking to lawmakers after the election, Şentop thanked the lawmakers for participating in the process.

"I will conduct my duty with justice and impartiality and with the belief that keeps the mutual understanding alive," he said.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Engin Altay got 124 votes, while Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) candidate Serpil Kemalbay Pekgözegü bagged 46 votes.

Good (IYI) Party's candidate Imam Hüseyin Filiz received 33 votes.

A total of 542 lawmakers cast votes, while tree votes were declared invalid.

The AK Party holds 291 seats in parliament, while the CHP has 142 seats, HDP 65 seats, the MHP 49, IYI Party 39, Felicity (Saadet) Party 2, Turkish Workers Party 2, Democrat Party (DP) 1, and Grand Unity Party (BBP) 1, and independent 3.

Şentop, 51, was born in northwestern Tekirdağ province.

He earned a bachelor degree at the Istanbul University Faculty of Law and obtained Master and Doctorate degrees from Istanbul's Marmara University.

Şentop had been serving as deputy speaker of the parliament since June 24, 2018 general elections.