MHP leader to meet Turkish PM a week ahead of deadline

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and the leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), incumbent Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu, are set to meet on Aug. 17 to decide whether to form a government or not with just around a week left until the expiration date of a 45-day deadline.

Talks on forming a coalition between the AKP and the Republican People's Party (CHP) broke down on Aug. 13, making an autumn election almost inevitable and leaving the incumbent ruling party having to turn to the nationalist MHP for support. 

Davuto?lu has almost a week until a deadline to form a coalition, after which a fresh election is likely to be called.

Days after making clear last week they would not roll over and back a minority government, the MHP has authorized its leader with full authority concerning making President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's aim of taking the country to a snap election with the ruling party in control look increasingly difficult. 

The decision was made at a Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting of the party chaired by Bahçeli on Aug. 15. During the meeting, Bahçeli warned executives over the prospect of a snap election, while noting he wanted to see what Davuto?lu would offer during their meeting scheduled for Aug. 17.

The AKP failed to hold its majority in a general election on June 7, leaving it unable to govern alone for the first time since it came to power in 2002 and plunging Turkey into uncertainty not seen since the fragile coalitions of the 1990s. 

Following the latest talks with the CHP on Aug. 13, Davuto?lu urged parliament to call for a new vote as soon as possible, apparently hoping for an agreement with the MHP that would allow his government to stay in power until the new...