ANKARA
In his first public remarks since the general elections were held in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said a new government should be formed "as soon as possible".
Addressing a graduation ceremony of international students in Ankara Thursday, Erdogan said: "Everyone should put aside their egos and avoid the onus of leaving Turkey without a government and a leader".
The president also called for respecting the will of the Turkish people.
"The election result reflects the national will; everybody should respect it. The results show that no single party majority is available. I hope every political party evaluates the results carefully," he said.
In Sunday's general election, none of the four parties elected to the Turkish Grand National Assembly could achieve the majority necessary to form a single-party government.
About the coalition options available to the political parties, Erdogan hoped that the parties would choose a path of settlement within constitutional boundaries instead of crisis.
The president also pledged to carry out his duty during the coalition talks process, saying: "The result without (a single party) majority does not mean Turkey will be left ungoverned".
"Anybody who leaves Turkey without a government cannot answer to our nation or to our history," he said.
On Tuesday, Erdogan accepted the cabinet's resignation submitted by the Prime Minister and AK Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoglu. The cabinet was asked to continue its duties until the formation of a new government. He is expected to ask Davutoglu to form a government after the parliament convenes.
The AK Party won its fourth consecutive general election, securing the largest number of votes to claim 258 seats, or 41 percent votes, in the parliament, 18 short of a simple majority, according to the unofficial results.
The CHP claimed 132 seats with 24.96 percent, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) won 80 seats with 16.29 percent votes.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) passed the 10 percent threshold with 13.12 percent votes to take 80 seats -- marking the first time it will enter the parliament as a party.
The turnout was 86.64 percent. Although the initial count has been completed, the figures still need to be verified by the Supreme Election Council, which is due to get completed by June 19.
Once the official results are announced, the deputies of the 25th Grand National Assembly will be sworn in within five days.
Turkish constitution says the new government must be formed within 45 days following the appointment of the leader of the party with the most votes by the president.
