Turkish president expected to give mandate to PM next week

ANKARA

DHA photo

With the completion of the parliament speaker election process, all eyes have turned to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is expected to give mandate to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu early next week, thus starting the 45-day long government-making process. 

Although the parliament elected its new speaker, Erdoğan will wait another few days for the election of the speaker’s entire council, which is expected to be completed either July 7 or 8, before he invites the leader of the winning party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), giving him the mandate to form the government. The AKP has 258 seats in parliament and is short 18 seats of forming a government. 

In the case Davutoğlu fails to form a coalition government, Erdoğan will give Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), with its 132 seats, the government-making mandate. The president said earlier he had no intention of giving the mandate to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), both who have 80 seats in parliament. 

If parties can agree on a coalition government, they will prepare their government plan and submit it to the General Assembly for a confidence vote, requiring simple majority.   

The deadline to form a government will expire either August 22 or 23. In the case they fail to form a government, President Erdoğan will announce early elections, which must be done within 90 days of the deadline. However, the Supreme Election Board (YSK) can advance the election date.