Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said all parties must be careful to preserve environment of confidence and stability, after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) failed to regain its majority in parliament in Sunday's parliamentary elections.
"The nation's choice is above everything. I believe the results will be evaluated by all parties," President Erdogan said in a written statement issued on Monday.
"It's vital all political parties act responsibly to maintain democratic gains and stability," Erdogan added.
Turkey's ruling AK Party will try to form a coalition government as its first option, but an early election could be on the cards if it fails to do so, the party's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Monday.
"I believe our prime minister will be able to form the government within the allotted time," Kurtulmus told reporters in Ankara, adding that a coalition without the AK Party was not possible.
Another AK Party deputy prime minister, Bulent Arinc, also talked to the press on Monday saying, “I would have preferred to see the AK Party gain a clear majority."
"We might have made mistakes but we will stand up (again)...I am convinced people will embrace us again,” Arince said.
Arinc also dismissed a possible coalition being formed between rival opposition right-wing National Movement Party (MHP), left-wing Republican People’s Party (CHP) and pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP).
“If there is going to be a coalition, CHP, MHP and HDP should try to form it. Let them try this first, and AK Party is ready to do its part if they fail to do it," Arinc said, daring the opposition parties.
After the election results were revealed on Sunday, the Parliamentary Constitution Commission chair from the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Burhan Kuzu said an “early election is inevitable as these parties will unlikely form a government.”
In Turkey's tense political atmosphere, however, an early election seems more probable considering that the rivalry between the opposition parties may result in a deadlock in the formation of a government.
If the parliament fails to establish a new government within 45 days, an early election will be inevitable.
The AK Party won the majority of the vote in Turkey’s 25th parliamentary elections on Sunday, gaining 40.8 percent of the votes. CHP came second with 25.1 percent of the votes, while MHP won 16.4 percent. Meanwhile, pro-Kurdish HDP passed the 10 percent electoral threshold for the first time with 13 percent of the votes.
Source: TRT World and Agencies