Turkey still plans to hold elections in mid-May despite February's deadly earthquake.
This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
"This nation will do everything necessary on May 14, with God's help," Erdogan said, speaking in parliament to members of his ruling party.
After last month's earthquake, there were conflicting signals about the likely timing of the presidential and parliamentary elections. Some speculated that they could be postponed or take place as originally planned on June 18.
Before the disaster, Erdogan's popularity had been undermined by a sharp rise in the cost of living and a falling lira. After the disaster, he faced a wave of criticism over his government's response to the country's deadliest earthquake in modern history.
There are currently doubts about the ability of electoral authorities to prepare and provide logistics for voting by people affected by the earthquake, which is home to about 14 million people.
Earthquakes and preparedness for a major earthquake in the northwestern Marmara Sea region around Istanbul will be key issues in the presidential and parliamentary elections.
