ANKARA
The leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party has ruled out any coalition with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party.
"Each formula in which the HDP takes a place or supports is out of our agenda," said Devlet Bahceli in remarks made to Turkish news website EtikHaber.
"How can we take part in the same bloc with the political courier of a terrorist organization that brutally killed thousands of soldiers, police and innocent citizens?" he asked, referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
Bahceli said his MHP party would have nothing to do with what he described as circles which targeted unity of the state.
He also called on main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) not to make an effort to join a coalition with the HDP, calling this a "waste of time".
Bahceli laid down three conditions before any coalition deal with the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party.
"If the ‘solution process’ is totally removed; the 17/25 December bribery and corruption process is brought to account; and [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan does not exceed his constitutional limits, we can talk about a coalition with the AKP," he said.
The four parties which passed the 10 percent electoral threshold – the AK Party; the CHP; the MHP; and the pro-Kurdish HDP – will be negotiating to find a coalition formula following the opening of parliament with a members' oath-taking ceremony later this month.
Turkey's constitution says a new government must be formed within 45 days following the appointment of the leader of the party with the most votes by the president.
If no government is formed, then the country will have to hold an early election.
