Turkish PM aims to form representative government

Nuray Babacan - ANKARA

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As the deadline for the formation of an interim government will expire on Aug. 28, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has continued his work to form a government which would represent different segments of society, with a specific emphasis on nationalist grassroots. 

Apart from Tuğrul Türkeş, the deputy leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Davutoğlu is planning to invite some figures well-known by the MHP grassroots so he could escape criticism from the leader of the nationalist opposition party, Devlet Bahçeli.  

The government is expected to be announced on Aug. 28, with handover ceremonies taking place on Aug. 29, while the new cabinet will show itself during the Aug. 30 Victory Day ceremonies. 

After the collapse of inter-party talks to form a government, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan imposed the formation of an interim government that would take Turkey to a new election on Nov. 1. The interim government will have 22 ministers, 11 of whom will be from Davutoğlu’s Justice and Development Party (AKP). 

Davutoğlu will likely appoint some of his current ministers to ministerial positions but will also have to undertake revisions. Ministers who have served in parliament for three consecutive terms will be kept out of the cabinet, while at least three ministers who have no three-term criteria will also be dismissed. Lütfi Elvan is among the potential ministers, while ministers Çağatay Kılıç, Veysel Eroğlu and İdris Güllüce will stay out of the cabinet. 

As for Türkeş, the AKP is mulling over two options. He will either be appointed deputy prime minister after he joins the AKP or he will continue to represent the MHP in the interim government, even though his party launched dismissal action against him. Even if he were to be dismissed from the MHP, he would still serve the government from the MHP ranks, as he was a member of the party when he was offered the position. 

Türkeş’s acceptance to take part in the government had significance, as the move could break the perception that the AKP allied with only the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), according to some AKP officials. To further strengthen this move, Davutoğlu will offer ministerial positions to some independent figures having nationalist or center-right backgrounds. 

Academics and former politicians close to the MHP are expected to take places in the cabinet, officials said, with the purpose of nixing opposition’s accusations that the AKP formed the government with only the HDP.