Government in Turkey resigns

Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu resigned yesterday in a procedural move after a parliamentary election but will remain in his post until a new government is formed, president Tayyip Erdogan’s office said in a statement.

Davutoglu’s ruling AK Party lost its majority in Sunday’s vote, forcing it to either form a coalition with an opposition party, a process that could take weeks, or try to go it alone in a minority government.

Erdogan is expected to officially ask Davutoglu to form the new government once the final results are published by electoral authorities, which may not be until next week.

Opposition parties have vowed to resist any pact with the ruling party. They are likely to demand limitations on Erdogan’s role in government, complicating any coalition talks.

The Justice and Development Party, founded by Erdogan, won 40% of the votes in Sunday’s election.