RIZE, Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cautioned against drawing early conclusions in on going efforts to form a government in Turkey, saying that evaluations will be made after key meetings between political parties.
Speaking with the media after an opening ceremony of a mosque in northeastern Rize province on Friday, Erdogan was asked about the result of recently-held coalition talks between the Justice and Development (AK) Party and the Republican People's Party (CHP), which Turkish Prime Minister on Thursday said ended without an agreement.
"Actually, yesterday's [Thursday] result is not conclusive," Erdogan said in response.
About Davutoglu’s expected meeting with Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, he said: "After the meeting, we will see what kind of an environment emerges, then we should evaluate the final situation".
About the possibility of giving an option to form a government to the CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, he said: "The conditions have changed a lot. We will decide after we arrive at the final stage".
Erdogan had asked Davutoglu to form a new government on July 9, and negotiations between the AK Party and the second-placed CHP had been ongoing since July 13.
The MHP won 80 seats in the parliament, and combined with the 258 seats of AK Party, the two parties could easily form a coalition, as only 276 seats are required to establish one.
When the deadline to form a government expires on August 23, either Erdogan or the parliament may decide to hold a new election. If the president issues the decision, then polling is supposed to be held the first Sunday following a 90-day period starting from the end of the first deadline.
In the current set of circumstances, this scenario suggests renewed polling in November.
However, if the parliament makes the decision for a new election, then the Supreme Election Board can cut this 90-day period by as much as half.
The previous coalition talks in Turkey were made 16 years ago, when the Democratic Left Party (DSP) of late premier Bulent Ecevit failed to win the majority in the general election on April 18, 1999.
