Turkey: Country could hold election on Nov. 1

ANKARA

Turkey's Supreme Election Board (YSK) has set Nov. 1 as the tentative date for an early general election, after coalition talks between the country’s parties broke down.

The YSK has prepared a draft electoral calendar, and submitted it to the four parties represented in the Turkish parliament for discussion Thursday.

According to Turkey’s constitution only the president or parliament can decide to hold a new election.

Voting is supposed to be held on the first Sunday following a 90-day period starting from the end of the first deadline.

However, the election board has the power to cut the 90-day period by half, and as such, drafted a calendar so that preparations could be completed within 60 days in case of an early election call, shortening objection and application deadlines.

The YSK has the final say in establishing the final election date once the four main parties have worked on the draft calendar, and submitted their feedback.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's Justice and Development (AK) Party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) had been negotiating for a coalition agreement after no single party won a majority in Turkey’s June 7 election.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Davutoglu to form a new government on July 9, and the AK Party began talks with the second-placed CHP four days later -- a process which ended August 13 without a compromise.

Davutoglu then sought out the MHP but those talks proved short-lived. The leaders announced there was no agreement following a two-hour meeting, with the Turkish premier returning the mandate to form a government to Erdogan on Tuesday.

Erdogan is expected to make a decision about the early election soon, as the 45-day deadline expires on Aug. 23.

If Erdogan calls a snap election by Sunday, then Davutoglu must form a caretaker government within five days, according to Article 114 of the constitution.