The Turkish parliament Thursday approved a motion fixing the country's next parliamentary elections for June 12.

All 361 lawmakers present in the 550-member legislature voted in favour of the proposal, drawn up by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The Islamist-rooted AKP, which came to power in 2002 and was re-elected in 2007, will seek a third term in power in the vote.

Recent public opinion polls have suggested the AKP remains the country's most popular political force, followed by the main opposition secularist Republican People's Party.