ANKARA
Prime Minister and AK Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoglu has received acting Parliament Speaker and Republican People’s Party MP Deniz Baykal at the Cankaya Palace in capital Ankara, as Turkey seeks a speaker and a new coalition government after June 7 general election.
On Thursday, Baykal completed a host of bilateral meetings with leaders of parties that have seats in the parliament -- except CHP -- starting with Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, before he met Davutoglu and Selahattin Demirtas, co-leader of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).
Baykal told media after his meeting with Bahceli that through these talks he did not seek to rally support for his candidacy for parliament speaker, which he announced Thursday, at the expense of coalition talks.
Baykal described his meeting with Bahceli as "useful and fruitful", noting that coalition negotiations have not officially started.
"Turkey needs reconciliation beyond the issue of electing a parliament speaker," Baykal said after meeting Demirtas.
The election of the parliament speaker, which should be completed within days with all parties having announced candidates, is regarded as a warm-up for coalition negotiations, where parties will have to discuss tangible compromises.
According to the official results afte the June 7 election, the Justice and Development (AK) Party is the first party with 258 MPs elected to the Turkish parliament. The Republican People's Party (CHP) has 132 seats, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) each have 80.
After swearing in, the parliament members will elect a speaker.
Candidates for the seat of parliament speaker will submit their applications after the oath-taking ceremony. The deadline for applications will be June 28.
According to Turkish constitution, the election of the speaker shall be conducted via secret ballot. The first two ballots require a two-thirds majority of the total number of members. In the third, an absolute majority is needed.
If this cannot be obtained, a fourth ballot shall be held in a run-off between the two candidates who have received the highest number of votes in the third ballot.
The election of the speaker shall be completed within five days after June 28.
As none of the four parties has the necessary majority to form a single-party government, they are to negotiate some type of coalition following the opening of parliament.
President Erdogan is expected to ask the AK Party to form a government as the party with the highest number of MPs.
Turkey's constitution stipulates that a new government must be formed within 45 days following the president officially asking a party.
If no government is formed, the country will have to hold snap elections.
