AKP: President's role no coalition talk issue

Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has insistently reiterated that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) will not become involved in negotiations to form a governing coalition if prospective counterparts question President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an?s role as part of the talks.

However, speaking just a few hours after Davuto?lu on June 30, Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu, whose party received the second highest number of seats in parliament in the June 7 election, remained unyielding. K?l?çdaro?lu repeated that, for them, any possible coalition scenario would have to embrace their 14 principles which included ensuring Erdo?an does not exceed his constitutional powers.

?Just like how speakership is not connected with coalition, so neither the presidency nor the president is a part of the coalition negotiations, and won?t be. We will not be a part of a negotiation which will aggrieve the presidency and will make the president the question of debate,? Davuto?lu said, describing their attitude as ?a necessity of respect? for both themselves and the president, as he addressed newly elected deputies of his party at a parliamentary group meeting. 

?No one can see us as a part of this kind of bargain. When it comes to our president and his seat, people who talk about constitutional borders, should not forget that the appointment of the prime minister is done by the president as a constitutional obligation. We invite them to [adhere to] the constitutional framework. In this framework, I want to emphasize one more time with strong statements that the impudent factoids and treatments toward our president must end, and in order to normalize and maintain legitimate the politics, we should have great respect for our president without...