Turkey election board confirms ruling party's loss of majority, focus turns to coalition talks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Turkey's election body has confirmed the ruling party's loss of its parliamentary majority after 13 years of single-party rule, setting the ball rolling for tortuous coalition-building talks.
The High Election Board released the certified results of the June 7 vote on Thursday, confirming that the Islamic-based Justice and Development Party, founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, won 258 seats in the 550-seat parliament — 18 short of the total needed to rule alone.
Erdogan is expected to ask Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to attempt to form the next government in the coming days.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Opposition parties' demands that Erdogan — a dominant political figure who wants a presidency with executive powers — stick to the office's largely ceremonial duties are likely to complicate coalition talks.