ANKARA
Talks to form a coalition government failed because of “wide splits in opinion” between the two sides, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday.
Discussions between the Justice and Development (AK) Party and the Republican People's Party (CHP) ended on Thursday.
“For us, there are major gains in the last 12 years under AK Party governments while the CHP believes that the same 12 years is a period that saw major loss and thus needs reforms,” Davutoglu said in a special broadcast on Turkey's state-owned TRT.
The failure to reach an agreement - mainly over foreign policy, education and the economy - meant “an early election is a closer probability,” Davutoglu added.
Referring to earlier rounds of negotiations, Davutoglu said: “The exploratory talks were themselves a story of success. The sides achieved trust-building and a mature style of political talk with courtesy. We can now better understand each other, which is a gain in itself.”
Denying accusations that the talks were “theatre”, the premier said his party had engaged with all parties, even those who openly opposed joining an AK Party coalition.
Turkey faces an Aug. 23 deadline before a reelection can be called.
“We, as the leaders of political parties, should reach an agreement [on an early election],” Davutoglu said. “Such an agreement will increase confidence in politics.”
The June 7 general election failed to produce a party with a simple majority to form a government and a month later Davutoglu was asked to form a coalition.
The prime minister is to meet Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli on Monday in a last attempt to create an administration, although the MHP has previously set conditions that the AK Party is unlikely to meet.
“We are not open to a minority or election government,” Bahceli said on Thursday, referring to a transition administration ahead of early parliamentary elections.
