Erdoğan says ‘may seek coalition if fails to get majority’

Source: 
Hurriyet Daily News
Publication date: 
Jun 21 2018

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in an interview late on June 20 that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) could seek to form a coalition if it fails to secure a parliamentary majority in the elections on June 24.

Polls indicate the elections may be closer than anticipated when he called the snap elections in April, suggesting he may be pushed to a second-round run-off for the presidency, and his AKP could lose its majority in the 600-seat assembly.

“If it is under 300 [seats], then there could be a search for a coalition,” Erdoğan said in an interview with Kral FM radio station. He added that the probability of this was “very, very low.”

The AKP has formed an alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) before the elections, which will herald a switch to a new powerful executive presidency narrowly approved in a referendum last year. Opposition parties have also formed an alliance.

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli said on June 18 that another election could be held if his alliance with the AKP cannot form a majority in parliament after Sunday’s vote.

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