Turkish PM to form interim government for snap polls

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday gave mandate to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to form a caretaker government to lead the country to a new election, the presidency office said in a statement.

On Monday, the president formally called for a new parliamentary election after Davutoglu failed to form a coalition government following the June 7 elections, reported Xinhua.

Erdogan set November 1 as the initial date for holding snap polls, but the election date is expected to be confirmed by an election body later on Tuesday.

The situation is unprecedented in Turkey's political history, as parties never failed to form a government and none of the presidents have called for snap polls for this reason.

The opposition Republican People's Party and the Nationalist Movement Party refused to take part in an interim government after a series of talks between the prime minister and these parties failed to produce a coalition government.

The ruling Justice and Development Party seeks early election that would give the party an opportunity to win back its majority in the parliament.

No single party won a parliamentary majority to form a single-party government in the June 7 national elections.