Erdo?an's Baykal move before Davuto?lu's coalition talks

Turkish President Tayyip Erdo?an, not Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu, made the first political move after the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) lost its parliamentary majority in the recent election, meeting with Deniz Baykal, the former head of the social democratic Republican People?s Party (CHP) on June 10.

It appears that Erdo?an sent a message to Baykal, who was in his constituency in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya on the night of June 9, after accepting the resignation of Davuto?lu (a routine) but also asking him to form a new government and stay in power until then. Baykal apparently did not respond immediately and asked CHP head Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu about it. The official invitation from the president?s office came in the morning and the appointment was set for 12.30 p.m. It was to be held at the residence of the foreign minister - currently used by Erdo?an - rather than in the controversial Presidential Palace, which the CHP does not recognize the legitimacy of. Baykal then took the first plane from Antalya to Ankara, where he and Erdo?an had a one-on-one meeting lasting more than two hours.

Baykal said afterwards that he ?saw that Erdo?an was open to coalition possibilities.? He later told the Hürriyet Daily News that he did not in particular mean a coalition between the AK Parti and the CHP, but all combinations including the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples? Democratic Party (HDP).  Baykal?s most important message to Erdo?an was probably advising him not to force his constitutional limits, as voters demanded, and to encourage the parties to agree on a stable coalition government. 

It seems that after meeting with Baykal, Erdo?an might allow all coalition scenarios to be exhausted...