Deniz Baykal

With less than 10 days until the expiration of the 45-day deadline for the formation of a government, Turkey?s two biggest parties, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Republican People?s Party (CHP), announced their failure in reaching a deal on a government. 

Citing a coalition government as the healthiest option which would offer a way out of the grave problems Turkey is currently facing, Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu has nonetheless acknowledged an early election is more likely, despite ongoing efforts to form a coalition government.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has stripped one of its deputy parliamentary group chairs of his post days after controversial remarks in which he intimated that the public views the Republican People?s Party (CHP) as ?irreligious and non-believing.? 

Yusuf Halaço?lu, a spokesman for the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the Turkish Parliament, has said that he never said the social democratic Republican People?s Party (CHP) was ?irreligious and non-believing? during a telephone interview with the Hürriyet Daily News on July 8.

It?s been a month since Turkey concluded parliamentary elections that took away the Justice and Development Party?s (AKP) 13 years of self-rule and instead obliged political parties to share power. 

Statements by a veteran member of parliament, Republican People's Party's (CHP) Deniz Baykal, who recently lost his run for parliament speaker's office, led to disagreements over incidents leading up to the election of the speaker, which was finalized last week with the election of the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate, ?smet Y?lmaz.

A last-day move of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli put an end to the last hopes for joint action by opposition parties, leading to ?smet Y?lmaz, the incumbent defense minister of the outgoing Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) government, winning the Speaker of Parliament election on July 1.

Turkey's parliament has elected ?smet Y?lmaz, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate and incumbent defence minister, as its speaker with "covert support" from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
The first two rounds of voting were held on June 30, but none of the four candidates gathered the required support of 367 members of parliament in the 550-seat assembly.

It was expected that the new Turkish parliament would fail to elect a new speaker in the first two rounds of voting on June 30, when a two thirds majority was needed.

But all the bets are open for the two final rounds, which will take place today, July 1.

There are four party groups in parliament and all of them have nominated candidates.

Turkey's parliament has failed to elect a new speaker in a vote that could provide clues as to a future coalition government. 

The first two rounds of voting were scheduled for June 30, with candidates requiring the support of at least 367 members of parliament in the 550-seat assembly in the first two votes. The first round started at 3 p.m. and 545 deputies voted.