Early Elections Loom as Turkey’s Minority Govt Fails

PM Urges New Vote 'As Soon as Possible'

The results of Turkey’s June 7 general election aren’t going to stick, after efforts to convince the opposition to allow the AKP to rule with a plurality in a minority government failed, and efforts to sell a grand coalition deal to them similarly failed.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has now advised the parliament to schedule fresh elections as soon as possible, saying he believes another vote is the “only option” left after his party failed to secure a straight majority in the June vote.

The AKP’s failure in the June vote was seen as great measure the result of unrest among the Kurdish minority in Turkey, a problem that is all the greater now that the Erdogan government is in an outright war against the Kurdish PKK, and carrying out airstrikes against targets on Turkish soil.

How that new election will work out remains to be seen, with the AKP apparently counting on the idea that the new war will get them some support from nationalists, while opponents of the war are likely to be all the more mobilized to vote against them.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.