Turkey's New Parliament to Meet Next Week
Turkey's newly elected parliament will meet for the first time next week, official media said Thursday, as political forces try to thrash out the country's first coalition in over a decade.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost its overall majority in June 7 elections for the first time since it came to power in 2002, in a blow for its co-founder President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey's election commission confirmed the results in an official statement Thursday, and the state Anatolia news agency said parliament would open on Tuesday June 23 at midday GMT, when the MPs will be sworn in.
The AKP has stated its intent to lead the coalition as the largest party but talks will be tricky, with the three other parties elected to parliament setting down clear red lines.
Once parliament meets, there is a 45 day deadline to form a government, after which early elections can be called.
The AKP will have 258 seats in the 550-seat parliament, the Republican People's Party (CHP) 132, and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) 80 apiece.
Source: Agence France Presse
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