Turkey: CHP terms delay in gov't formation 'unnatural'

ANKARA

A month after the June 7 elections in Turkey resulted with no single party gaining absolute majority in the parliament, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader has called for a new government without delay.

“This delay is not a natural delay. The president needs to give the mandate [to form a new government] as soon as possible,” Kemal Kilicdaroglu said Tuesday at the Turkish parliament.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to first ask the Justice and Development (AK) Party, which gained the most seats in the elections, to form the government.

AK Party led by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu came in first in the fourth consecutive general elections to secure the largest number of votes -- 41 percent -- and to claim 258 seats in the Grand National Assembly, 18 short of a simple majority.

The second-placed Republican People’s Party (CHP) saw 132 deputies elected while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) both won 80 seats.

Kilicdaroglu said that it was not right for Turkey to be governed by a transitional government for a long period.

He said that it was the duty of the four Turkish parliamentary party leaders to demonstrate the compromising culture of democracy and establish a governing coalition soon.

“The government must be formed as soon as possible and begin its duty,” the CHP leader said.

He added that there was no reason to wait for a long time even if the country was to go to the stage of snap elections. “If no coalition will be formed, the country can go rapidly in elections,” he added.

If Davutoglu is unable to form a coalition with any of the other three parties -- and none have indicated they would be willing to join the AK Party in government -- tradition dictates the president should offer the second-placed party the chance to create an administration.

If neither the AK Party nor the CHP can form a government within 45 days, the president must call for a fresh election and appoint a prime minister within five days to form an interim government consisting of representatives from all four parties according to their number of deputies.

Kilicdaroglu also met with members of a platform for public service workers at the parliament Tuesday. The members requested the CHP leader to pave the way for hiring workers directly on permanent contracts.

Kilicdaroglu promised to give the workers the status of permanent staff members.