Turkish PM on the defensive over failure of coalition talks

ANKARA

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The opposition’s criticism of the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) way of handling failed coalition talks has put its leader, incumbent Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, on the defensive, as he fiercely defended his self-made roadmap to form an interim power-sharing government.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference shortly after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appointed him to form an interim government to lead the country to a new election after two months of coalition talks failed to produce a working government, Davutoğlu reiterated he planned to offer posts to individual figures from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Davutoğlu was defiant as he counterattacked senior executives from both parties for dubbing the planned proposal “indecent.” 

“The constitution very openly says that a proposal is made to members of parties. However, my doors are open if party leaders want to meet. I almost begged, saying ‘Let’s form a government before the 45-day deadline expires,’” Davutoğlu said.

“Putting pressure on party members and accusing them of immorality is not right. What is being offered is rule of the country together for two months. Neither I nor my fellows intervened in the internal affairs of any party and we will not do so. We have not been in any immoral contact and we will not be so. We haven’t made any indecent proposal to anybody,” Davutoğlu said.

Davutoğlu has five days to form the interim cabinet and is obliged by the constitution to offer cabinet posts to opposition members. Candidates from outside parliament can fill the posts if the opposition turns them town. Out of three other parties holding seats in parliament according to the results of the June 7 election, only the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has voiced eagerness to take part in such a government.