Former PM Yıldırım elected as speaker of Turkey’s parl.

TEHRAN, Jul. 14(MNA) – Turkey’s new parliament has elected former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım as its speaker with the votes of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Daily Sabah reported. Turkish lawmakers on Thursday elected Turkey's last Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım to be the first speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly under new government system. Yıldırım has served as the country's final prime minister until earlier this week, when the post was abolished under constitutional changes. Yıldırım has been considered to be the preferred name for the post given his positive personality and good sense of humor, which might prompt more dialogue and reconciliation in Parliament. According to Turkish state protocol, the Parliament speaker is the second-highest ranking government official. The current Parliament speaker Ismail Kahraman, who served for two terms, did not seek another term due to his advanced age and health problems.