Turkish centre-right opposition parties merge

ISTANBUL, May 5 (Reuters) Two Turkish centre-right parties merged today, a move which could strengthen opposition against the ruling AK Party in July's general election.

The centre-right ANAP and True Path parties, which have 20 and four seats, respectively, in the 550-seat parliament, announced their merger at a joint news conference and said their new name would be the Democrat Party.

The AK Party called early national elections this week amid a political crisis pitting Turkey's Islamist-rooted government against the powerful secular elite, which includes the military.

Tension has risen after a warning from the army about the ruling party's choice of candidate for president and a decision by the Constitutional Court to annul the first round of parliamentary voting for president.

The general election is scheduled for July 22, brought forward from November 4.

Reuters SG DS1522