Turkey's pro-Kurdish party open to joining transitional government

The pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy Party (HDP) has announced it would willingly govern in a transitional power-sharing government should new elections be announced in Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is expected on Tuesday to return the mandate to form a new government to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, following the apparent failure of the Justice and Development party (AKP) to build a coalition with other opposition parties.

Erdogan is expected to then call fresh elections, which would be scheduled for autumn. In that scenario, a transitional government would govern until the elections were held.

Leaders of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and HDP called on Monday for the mandate to be swiftly returned to Erdogan.

“It has emerged that Mr. Davutoğlu, who received the mandate, has not been able to form a coalition,” said CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, speaking to Hurriyet. “He should immediately return the mandate to the president. This is what Turkey’s democratic customs require.”

HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas also called for the mandate to be returned - but added that it should be given to the CHP.

“Mr. Davutoglu needs to return the mandate as soon as possible. It was he himself who said that no possibility for a coalition was left now,” Demirtas said. “The president should give the mandate to the CHP.”

He also said that the HDP would be willing to discuss a coalition should the latter scenario occur.

The AKP won the largest number of votes in June’s parliamentary election but - due in large part to a surge in votes to the HDP in previous AKP heartlands in the mainly Kurdish southeast - lost its overall majority, forcing it to enter into coalition negotiations.

The CHP, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and HDP were second, third and fourth largest respectively.

'De-facto' regime change

Much of the election coverage focused on the potential for Erdogan to create a strengthened presidential system in Turkey, which would have required the AKP to win 330 seats, two-thirds of the total, in the parliament.

The failure to do so was seen as a major blow to the otherwise popular Erdogan, whose opponents had accused him of attempting a power grab.

On Friday, Erdogan announced that a presidential system was "de-facto" in place in the country, regardless of constitutional changes.

"Whether you agree or not, Turkey's regime has changed," Erdogan said. "What should be done now is to finalise the legal framework of this de facto situation with a new constitution.”

On Tuesday, Demirtas called for a referendum over a new Presidential system should new elections be called for autumn.

“In a possible election, we could hold a referendum to ask people a single question: Do you want a presidential system or not?” he told reporters.

“The state regime cannot be changed with a fait accompli,” he said. “We’ll respect the result of [a referendum]."

Coalition wranglings have taken place against a backdrop of increasing instability across Turkey.

The renewal of hostilities between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has led to scores of death across the countries as Kurdish activists clashed with police and military forces.

The violence, coupled with the lack of a stable government, has damaged Turkey’s economy with the lira falling to its lowest ever level against the dollar.