19-04-2024 08:12 AM Jerusalem Timing

Erdogan Gives PM Davutoglu Mandate to Form Interim Government

Erdogan Gives PM Davutoglu Mandate to Form Interim Government

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday gave Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu a fresh mandate to form a caretaker government ahead of snap polls.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L), Turkish PM Ahmet DavutogluTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday gave Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu a fresh mandate to form a caretaker government ahead of snap polls.

Erdogan on Monday called an early election which the presidency said "has become a necessity" after efforts to form a coalition government failed following the June 7 legislative vote.

Davutoglu is now obliged within the next five days to form the short-lived government to take Turkey towards the new elections that are expected on November 1.

Erdogan presented the mandate for Davutoglu to lead the caretaker government as prime minister at a meeting at his presidential palace.

The situation is unprecedented in modern Turkish history -- never before have parties failed to form a coalition after elections and new polls been required.

Erdogan wants the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) he co-founded to win back the overall majority it lost in June for the first time since it came to power in 2002.

Davutoglu is expected to give a statement from 1100 GMT, Turkish television reported. The poll date of November 1 is expected to be confirmed by Turkey's election body later Tuesday.

The opposition Republican People's Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have refused to take part in an election government.

This forces Davutoglu to form an interim cabinet with the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HDP) as well as non-partisan figures outside parliament.

A majority of two-thirds in the Parliament-- 367 seats -- would allow the changes to be passed without a referendum.