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Erdogan Urges Cooperation in Forming New Turkish Government Erdogan Urges Cooperation in Forming New Turkish Government
(about 4 hours later)
ISTANBUL — For Turkey’s ubiquitous president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it was a long time between television appearances: three days, 22 hours, one minute and 45 seconds. ISTANBUL — For Turkey’s ubiquitous president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it was a long time between television appearances: 3 days 22 hours 1 minute 45 seconds.
That was what the timer set up by the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News said when Mr. Erdogan stepped up to a lectern Thursday afternoon, following a general election in which voters dealt his governing party and his ambitions a severe setback.That was what the timer set up by the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News said when Mr. Erdogan stepped up to a lectern Thursday afternoon, following a general election in which voters dealt his governing party and his ambitions a severe setback.
Though he was not on the ballot himself, the president dominated the airwaves almost every day of the election campaign, as he called for more powers for his office, denigrated his opponents as spies and traitors, and took shots for moving into a lavish new 1,000-room presidential palace. Though he was not on the ballot himself, the president dominated the airwaves almost every day of the campaign, as he called for more powers for his office, denigrated his opponents as spies and traitors, and took shots for moving into a lavish new 1,000-room presidential palace.
But after the ballots were counted, he went quiet. What would he say now?But after the ballots were counted, he went quiet. What would he say now?
“Egos should be set aside, and a government should be formed as soon as possible,” Mr. Erdogan told the audience, and the TV cameras, at a graduation ceremony in Ankara, the capital. “Egos should be set aside, and a government should be formed as soon as possible,” Mr. Erdogan told the audience, and the television cameras, at a graduation ceremony in Ankara, the capital.
His comments were striking because they were uncharacteristically conciliatory, and like the one short statement his office released after the election, they were respectful of the democratic process. There was no talk of conspiracies to distort the outcome, which deprived his Justice and Development Party of its former outright majority in Parliament. His comments were uncharacteristically conciliatory, and like the one short statement his office released after the election, they were respectful of the democratic process. There was no talk of conspiracies to distort the outcome, which deprived his Justice and Development Party of its former outright majority in Parliament.
At the same time, Mr. Erdogan seemed to suggest that he would rather see his party enter a coalition government with one of the three opposition parties than call another election soon. Some pro-government newspapers — which are usually a reliable barometer of the views of Mr. Erdogan and his lieutenants — had floated the idea of early elections this week. At the same time, Mr. Erdogan seemed to suggest that he would rather see his party enter a coalition government with one of the three opposition parties than call another election soon. Some pro-government newspapers had floated the idea of early elections this week.
Mr. Erdogan’s ambition to build up his partly ceremonial and supposedly nonpartisan post into a full-scale executive presidency was effectively dashed by the election. His conservative Islamist party lost votes and seats mainly because of the strong performance of the predominantly Kurdish People’s Democratic Party, which entered Parliament as a bloc for the first time. The other two groups that won seats are a far-right nationalist party and the staunchly secular party established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Mr. Erdogan’s ambition to build up his supposedly nonpartisan post into a full-scale executive presidency was effectively dashed by the election. His conservative Islamist party lost votes and seats mainly because of the strong performance of the predominantly Kurdish People’s Democratic Party, which entered Parliament as a bloc for the first time. The other two groups that won seats are a far-right nationalist party and the staunchly secular party established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.
Officials of each of the three opposition parties have said they were unwilling to discuss an alliance with Mr. Erdogan’s party, but analysts regard those statements as posturing; behind closed doors, they say, all possibilities will be discussed.Officials of each of the three opposition parties have said they were unwilling to discuss an alliance with Mr. Erdogan’s party, but analysts regard those statements as posturing; behind closed doors, they say, all possibilities will be discussed.
Once Turkey’s electoral commission formally certifies the election results, which should happen in the next few days, party leaders will have 45 days to try to assemble a governing majority. If they miss that deadline, Mr. Erdogan will be free to call a new election if he chooses. Once Turkey’s electoral commission certifies the election results, which should happen in the next few days, party leaders will have 45 days to try to assemble a governing majority. If they miss that deadline, Mr. Erdogan will be free to call a new election.
Mr. Erdogan did take aim at some familiar targets in his speech on Thursday: the foreign press, for focusing too much on his outsize personality, and the Western allies, who have been bombing the militants of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in Syria and Iraq.Mr. Erdogan did take aim at some familiar targets in his speech on Thursday: the foreign press, for focusing too much on his outsize personality, and the Western allies, who have been bombing the militants of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in Syria and Iraq.
Mr. Erdogan has been criticized in the United States for not doing more to fight the Islamic State, and his remarks at the graduation ceremony reinforced the view that Turkey is more concerned about countering the Syrian Kurds near Turkey’s border than he is about the Islamic State. He bashed the West for bombing “Arabs” and “Turkmen,” and for strengthening Syrian Kurdish groups that Turkey considers a security threat.Mr. Erdogan has been criticized in the United States for not doing more to fight the Islamic State, and his remarks at the graduation ceremony reinforced the view that Turkey is more concerned about countering the Syrian Kurds near Turkey’s border than he is about the Islamic State. He bashed the West for bombing “Arabs” and “Turkmen,” and for strengthening Syrian Kurdish groups that Turkey considers a security threat.