Deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan said that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is currently at a more advanced stage with the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on a possible coalition partnership.
"After the first round of coalition talks, comparing with the other two parties' attitudes, CHP is more likely to be in a potential coalition partnership." Akdoğan told broadcaster 24 on Thursday, adding AK Party will proceed into the second round and the negotiations have not started yet with any political parties.
Pointing out that the statements from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) did not show any desire to be a part of the coalition government, Akdoğan said that CHP have been more open on showing its intentions.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu officially started coalition talks on Monday and paid a visit the chairman of CHP, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to see whether he can team with the long-standing opposition.
He also met with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on Tuesday, which has so far openly expressed that it wants to remain as the main opposition, and concluded the first round of the talks by paying a visit to HDP on Wednesday to talk over a partnership.
The 45-day countdown began after Erdoğan gave Davutoğlu the mandate to form a government, which requires him to negotiate with other parties. Davutoğlu, who has been largely enthusiastic over a coalition, has said that although he will not exclude any party from negotiations, he will hone in on the CHP and MHP during the talks.
He said if the talks failed to reach a conclusion in the first round, he will come to them again and push his luck for a partnership. If deal is not hammered out, then early elections will be inevitable.
