Deniz Baykal

Turkey's top election body has eventually announced the final results of the June 7 general election, prompting all eyes to turn to the first sitting of the new parliament on the fifth day after the announcement of the results, on June 23.

Deniz Baykal, an Antalya lawmaker from the ranks of the Republican People?s Party (CHP), was hopeful about the ongoing talks for a coalition government.

?The negotiations are continuing, I hope that we will soon reach a consensus to form a government,? Baykal told reporters.

Deniz Baykal, the Republican People's Party (CHP) Antalya deputy and former leader, who held a surprise meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an last week, said parties should not insist on reintroducing Turkey's biggest ever corruption case, which engulfed four former ministers, as a red line in ongoing coalition negotiations. 

In yet another move contrary to state customs, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has said he plans to hold separate meetings with leaders of the four parties that entered parliament in the June 7 election before granting the mandate to form a new government to the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which won around 41 percent of the vote but failed to secure the parliamentary majority required t

Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu was pretty clear when he said ?We wanted a shift to a presidential system but the people did not approve it? as a summary of the June 7 election in Turkey.

After writing last week that this general election would be something that Turkey would be proud of, I am happily reporting that the outcome may be even better than we expected. And this is a direct effect of the Gezi Park protests that ignited change.

While breaking an unusual almost four-day long silence following the June 7 parliamentary election with a public address, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an cast himself in the role of a wise statesman, as he urged all political players in Turkey to leave aside their egos and prioritize the country?s interests with common sense.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has made his first speech in almost four days since the general election, calling on all parties to act "responsibly" to form a coalition government.

In his first comprehensive statement after the June 7 general election, Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has stressed that the Turkish people have closed the door on the presidential system and called for parties to form a coalition government. He added that he has no red lines on such a partnership and will hold ?genuine talks? with other parties to this end. 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdo?an, not Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu, made the first political move after the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) lost its parliamentary majority in the recent election, meeting with Deniz Baykal, the former head of the social democratic Republican People?s Party (CHP) on June 10.