Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said he would call snap elections after coalition talks failed following inconclusive June polls, adding he expected the vote on November 1.
“We will take our country to elections … God willing, Turkey will have the elections again on November 1,” Erdogan told reporters, saying he would meet parliament’s speaker on Monday to make the arrangements, AP reported.
Erdogan’s comments indicated that he would use his right to call elections as president, rather than using the alternative route of agreeing the new polls through a motion in parliament.
“Can the president call early elections according to the constitution? Yes he can,” Erdogan said.
A deadline for political parties to agree a coalition following the last June 7 legislative poll runs out on Sunday, with the ruling Justice and Development Party failing to form a coalition.
AKP remained the largest party but lost its overall majority in the June election for the first time since it came to power in 2002, in a blow to Erdogan’s authority over the country.
Under the constitution, a so-called “election government,” comprising all the political parties represented in parliament, will lead Turkey from the calling of the vote to the election.
