Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
ANKARA (Today’s Zaman)—Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office says the Turkish leader has called a new election a day after a deadline passed for forming a new government following a June election.
A presidential statement on Monday didn’t say when the new elections would be held, but Erdogan has previously said they were likely to take place on Nov. 1.
“Our president decided to renew the Turkish Grand National Assembly elections based on the authority given to him by the constitution,” the statement from his office said after he met parliamentary speaker Ismet Yılmaz.
Sources from Erdogan’s office told Reuters that he would meet Prime Minister Davutoglu at 11 am on Tuesday. The president was expected to ask Davutoglu to form a temporary power-sharing government ahead of an election slated for Nov. 1.
The Islamic-rooted ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) which Erdogan founded, lost its parliamentary majority in June for the first time since 2002. Davutoglu’s efforts to form a coalition alliance failed last week, setting the stage for Erdogan to declare repeat elections he is reported to have favored all along.
Erdogan is thought to have pressed for new elections to give the ruling party the chance to win back its majority and rule alone.
Turkey faces new elections as it is grappling with a sharp increase in violence between security forces and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and is more deeply involved in the US-led campaign against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) extremists. The Turkish lira has dropped to record lows against the dollar amid the political uncertainty.
Source: Asbarez
Link: Erdogan Calls New Election; Set for Nov. 1
