President Erdoğan calls on all parties to evaluate election results ‘healthily and realistically’

ANKARA

AP Photo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on all parties to assess the results of the June 7 parliamentary election “healthily and realistically,” after no party emerged with enough votes to form a single-party majority government.

“I believe that the current situation, which did not permit any party to form a government on its own, will be evaluated healthily and realistically by all parties that have taken part in the race,” Erdoğan said in a written statement issued on the presidential website on June 8. 

“The esteem of our nation is above everything else,” Erdoğan said, adding that the high turnout at the polls showed the “precious nation’s determination for democracy and for reflecting its will at the ballot box.” 

After more than 46 million voters headed to polling stations to vote for a reshuffling of the 550-seat parliament - a record turnout of 86 percent - no party received enough votes to form a single-party majority government, thus bringing to an end 13 years of Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule. 

Erdoğan called on all parties to act “responsibly” in the aftermath of the election, in which “a new process had started.” 

“It is important for all political parties to show the necessary sensibility and responsibility to preserve stability and the environment of trust in the country, as well as the democratic gains,” he said. 

Meanwhile, President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu are expected to meet June 8 to discuss the election results, Reuters reported.

While the AKP still received more than 40 percent of the votes, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) crucially managed to pass the 10 percent election threshold by receiving over 13 percent of the votes, sending more than 70 deputies to parliament and hitting the AKP’s seat share.