Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu

ANKARA (Daily Sabah)—In a nationally televised interview with state-run TRT 1 on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu made clear that the AK Party will look to form a coalition first and foremost and then weigh the other options and stated that they were open to negotiations with the other parties.

The prime minister stated that the AK Party was the only party that received votes from every corner in Turkey and from every portion of society during the general elections held on Sunday. He made clear that calling immediately for an early election is disputing the nation’s choice and they will first rule out every option before this is considered.

“I will sincerely meet with every opposition party. We have no red lines. We always said a coalition is not the best option but if the people make such a choice, what falls on us is to do the best of it.”

He added that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was not involved in coalition negotiations with opposition parties and that he would step in if a crisis emerged.

“Since 1960, only four other parties besides the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) surpassed 40 percent support in the nation, while the left only surpassed 40 percent once with Ecevit’s CHP receiving 41 percent.” Davutoğlu said.

Davutoğlu also said that the co-chairs of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) have to call on the PKK to lay down arms to prove their sincerity in the peace messages they delivered in the party’s election campaign, adding that the HDP voters should also pressure the party to do what falls on them to protect the peace in the country.

He said that if the HDP still continues conducting its politics through the PKK it would mean a return to security oriented policies for Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has stressed that his Justice and Development (AK) Party respects the Turkish people’s decision, after the June 7 election that produced no majority government.

“Our people opted for a coalition. We will not argue against it but will try our best to do our part,” he stated during the live interview on state broadcaster TRT.

In the general election, the AK Party received 41 percent of the votes and the highest number of seats, making it the first party to be asked by the president to form a government.

None of the four parties elected to the Turkish Grand National Assembly could achieve the majority necessary to form a single-party government.

Davutoglu highlighted that the will of the nation is beyond argument, ruling out any resentment on the part of his AK Party towards the Turkish people for the decline in their votes compared to previous elections.

“What is right is whatever the people say. You can’t have resentment towards the people, or take offense,” he said.

Turkey’s AK Party won its fourth consecutive general election, securing the largest number of votes to claim 258 seats in the Grand National Assembly, 18 short of a simple majority, according to the unofficial results.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) passed the 10 percent threshold with 13.12 percent of the vote to take 80 seats — marking the first time it will enter the parliament as a party.

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) claimed 132 seats with 24.96 percent, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) won 80 MPs in the Grand National Assembly by receiving 16.29 percent of the vote.

The turnout was 86.63 percent. Although the initial count has been completed, the figures need to be verified by the Supreme Election Council, which is due to be completed by June 19.

Once the final results are announced, the deputies of the 25th Grand National Assembly must be sworn in within five days. The constitutional deadline to form a new government will run out around August 18.