Turkish opposition MPs boycott swearing-in of parliament

Two of Turkey’s main opposition parties boycotted the opening of parliament on Tuesday after judges barred nine jailed MPs from taking their seats.

Lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party stayed away, while the Republican People’s Party declined to take the oath.

The dispute could raise the possibility of by-elections in Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast.

It may also hinder Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vow to seek consensus with the opposition over plans for a new constitution, Euronews reported.