Erdogan approves makeup of pre-election cabinet

Following the failure of coalition talks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan approved the makeup of an interim government that will run the country until snap elections

On Friday, Erdogan approved the list of temporary cabinet ministers that had been proposed by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu earlier on the day.

“Our president... approved the interim cabinet formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Davutoglu,” said a statement released by the president’s office after a nearly one-hour meeting between Erdogan and Davutoglu.

In an address to his Justice and Development Party (AKP) members, Davutoglu stated that the cabinet must be formed by Saturday at the latest based on law.

“With the cabinet that I will present today to the president, we will not work in the mood of a transition government. If there are jackals who say, ‘This is a transition government and it is foggy weather, let’s take to the streets in this foggy weather,’ we will not let them,” he said in an expanded meeting with the provincial chairs of the ruling party, hours before submitting the list to the president.

The formation of a caretaker government to run Turkey up to the September polls became necessary after Davutoglu failed in his attempts to cobble together a coalition that would give him an overall majority in parliament. This is unprecedented in the country's modern political history that post-poll coalition talks end without results.

Erdogan’s AKP fell short of securing sufficient votes during the legislative elections in June to form a single-party government.

The prime minister has pledged that the interim government would have all powers of a permanent government until snap elections.

Based on Turkey’s constitution, an interim government must be formed with ministries shared from Turkey's four parties according to their share of parliament seats. Thus, 11 ministries can be from the AKP, five from the Republican People's Party (CHP), three from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), three from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). Independent ministers would oversee the rest of the ministries.

Under the Turkish constitution, the newly formed interim government will not have to seek a vote of confidence in the parliament, as the president's approval is considered enough.

In the premier's list, there are two pro-Kurdish lawmakers. Ali Haydar Konca will act as EU affairs minister and Muslum Dogan is appointed as the development minister -- both from HDP. It is the first time a Kurdish party is represented in the government. CHP and MHP had earlier announced that they would not take part in the interim government.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk