Despite win, Erdogan's ruling party looks set to struggle to form new government

Supporters of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party celebrate after the election results in Istanbul, Turkey, late Sunday, June 7, 2015. With 99.9 percent of the vote counted, Erdogan's AKP had the support of around 41 percent of voters, state-run TRT television said. The unexpected setback for AKP likely puts an end, for the time being, to Erdogan's hopes of passing constitutional changes that would have greatly boosted the powers of his office. Instead, he faces struggles to retain his pre-eminent place in Turkish politics without the obvious levers to steer the government through his party in parliament. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

prev next

Turkey's Prime Minister and leader of ruling Justice and Development Party Ahmet Davutoglu, second right, waves to supporters from the balcony of his party in Ankara, Turkey, late Sunday, June 7, 2015. In a stunning rebuke of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ambitions to expand his powers, Turkish voters stripped his party of its simple majority in parliament, preliminary election results showed Sunday. With 99.9 percent of the vote counted, Erdogan's AKP had the support of around 41 percent of voters, state-run TRT television said. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) (The Associated Press)

A supporter of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party celebratesafter the election results came out in Istanbul,Turkey, late Sunday, June 7, 2015. With 99.9 percent of the vote counted, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP had the support of around 41 percent of voters, state-run TRT television said. The unexpected setback for AKP likely puts an end, for the time being, to Erdogan's hopes of passing constitutional changes that would have greatly boosted the powers of his office. Instead, he faces struggles to retain his pre-eminent place in Turkish politics without the obvious levers to steer the government through his party in parliament. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey's ruling party has been left with few options for a new government after it was stripped of its parliamentary majority and opposition parties ruled out joining it in a coalition pact.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP party won around 41 percent of the votes in Sunday's election and was projected to take 258 seats — 18 below the minimum required to rule alone.

The result was a stunning rebuke to Erdogan's ambitions to expand his powers in a new presidential system.

All three opposition parties have spoken against a coalition with the AKP after Erdogan led a fierce and confrontational campaign in favor of the party, brushing aside his constitutional neutrality.

Turkey has 45 days in which to form a new government after final official results are confirmed.