2015 interim election government of Turkey

Interim election government
Geçici seçim hükümeti

63rd cabinet of Turkey
28 August 2015 – 17 November 2015
Date formed 28 August 2015
Date dissolved 24 November 2015
People and organisations
Head of government Ahmet Davutoğlu
Head of state Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Number of ministers 26
Ministers removed
(Death/resignation/dismissal)
2
Member party AKP (13 ministries)
Independents (13 ministries)
History
Election(s) June 2015
Legislature term(s) 25th
Predecessor Davutoğlu I
Successor Davutoğlu III

The 2015 interim election government of Turkey was a temporary election government formed by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on the request of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It is also referred to as the Second Davutoğlu Cabinet. As the 63rd government of Turkey, the cabinet presided over the November 2015 general election and dissolved after a new government is formed after the election. It is the first such government to take office in the history of the Turkish Republic.

After the Justice and Development Party (AKP) won back its majority in the November election, the interim election government formally dissolved on 24 November 2015 and was succeeded by AKP leader Ahmet Davutoğlu's third government.

Background

The June 2015 general election resulted in a hung parliament, with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) falling 18 seats short of a majority. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited AKP leader Ahmet Davutoğlu to form a government, by virtue of leading the largest party in the Grand National Assembly. After a series of unsuccessful coalition negotiations with the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Davutoğlu returned the mandate to the President five days before the 45-day allowance to form a government ended, after which Erdoğan controversially refused to invite the CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to form a government and instead announced his intention to call a snap general election. Amid rumours that Erdoğan had always favoured going into an early election rather than allowing his former party (the AKP) to form a coalition government, his decision to call an election was finalised on 24 August 2015 and the Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey (YSK) announced 1 November as the date for the new vote.

Constitutional provision

As enshrined in the Constitution of Turkey, an interim cabinet formed together by all the parties in Parliament must be formed in the event that the President calls for a new vote. The number of ministries given to each party is determined by how many MPs they have in Parliament. The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, İsmet Yılmaz, determined that the AKP would be given 11 ministries, the CHP 5, the MHP 3 and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) also 3. The Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communication, Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior would be overseen by independent ministers, as is also the case for any government going into an election. Parties who do not wish to take part in the government can opt out, in which case the individual tasked with forming the government (in this case Davutoğlu) must offer their ministries to independents. The CHP and MHP announced that they would not take part in the government.[1][2]

Formation process

Davutoğlu was tasked with forming the interim cabinet on 25 August 2015, after which he sent out letters to members of different parties offering them a ministerial position in the new government on 26 August 2015. He has five days to form a government. Amid claims that the AKP was uncomfortable with going into government along with politicians from the HDP, Davutoğlu made offers to CHP and MHP politicians despite their party leaders announcing that they would not take part.[3][4] It was also rumoured that Davutoğlu could offer ministerial positions to independents who were seen as close or formerly a member of the CHP and MHP to weaken the perception that the interim government was just an AKP-HDP coalition.[5] In a last-ditch attempt to keep the HDP out of government, Davutoğlu proposed a triple coalition government between the AKP, CHP and MHP until an election took place.[6] The offer was rejected by both the CHP and MHP.[7]

Ministerial appointments

Initial invitations

The following tables show the politicians from all four parties represented in Parliament that were invited to become ministers in the interim cabinet.

AKP
seats: 258, ministries: 11 (+ Prime minister)
Invited Response
Yalçın Akdoğan Green tick Accepted
Numan Kurtulmuş Green tick Accepted
Cevdet Yılmaz Green tick Accepted
Mehmet Şimşek Green tick Accepted
Mehmet Müezzinoğlu Green tick Accepted
Nabi Avcı Green tick Accepted
Fikri Işık Green tick Accepted
Nihat Zeybekçi Green tick Accepted
Akif Çağatay Kılıç Green tick Accepted
İdris Güllüce Green tick Accepted
Veysel Eroğlu Green tick Accepted
Party stance Green tick Accept
 
CHP
seats: 131, ministries: 5
Invited Response
Deniz Baykal Red X Declined[8]
Erdoğan Toprak Red X Declined[9]
Gülsün Bilgehan Red X Declined[10]
Tekin Bingöl Red X Declined[11]
İlhan Kesici Red X Declined[12]
Party stance Red X Decline[13]
 
MHP
seats: 80, ministries: 3
Invited Response
Tuğrul TürkeşGreen tick Accepted[14]
Meral Akşener Red X Declined[15]
Kenan Tanrıkulu Red X Declined[16]
Party stance Red X Decline[17]
 
HDP
seats: 80, ministries: 3
Invited Response
Ali Haydar KoncaGreen tick Accepted[18]
Levent Tüzel Red X Declined[19]
Müslüm Doğan Green tick Accepted[20]
Party stance Green tick Accept[21]

MHP MP Tuğrul Türkeş caused an uproar within his party after accepting Davutoğlu's invitation to become a minister, despite his party's staunch refusal to take part. The MHP issued a statement demanding that he resign from the party and that he would be suspended if he didn't do so.[22] The MHP later began disciplinary proceedings to suspend Türkeş from the party, while Davutoğlu praised him for showing true statesmanship.[23][24] He was formally suspended from the MHP on 5 September 2015, with the MHP subsequently falling behind the HDP and becoming the fourth largest party in Parliament with 79 seats.[25]

HDP MP Levent Tüzel rejected a ministerial position despite his party's approval of its MPs to participate. The reason was due to opposition by the Labour Party (EMEP) to Tüzel's involvement. Tüzel had founded the EMEP in 1996 and led it until 2011, with the party supporting the HDP in the June 2015 general election.[26]

With 8 politicians declining ministerial positions and the Ministries of Transport, Interior and Justice being reserved for non-partisan independents, the cabinet will consist of 12 independent ministers.

Composition

Function Holder Party Start End
Prime Minister
Başbakan
Ahmet Davutoğlu AKP 28 August 2014 17 November 2015
Deputy Prime Minister
Başbakan Yardımcısı

Responsible for Parliamentary relations and public diplomacy
Yalçın Akdoğan AKP 29 August 2014 17 November 2015
Deputy Prime Minister
Başbakan Yardımcısı

Government spokesperson and responsible for human rights
Numan Kurtulmuş AKP 29 August 2014 17 November 2015
Deputy Prime Minister
Başbakan Yardımcısı

Responsible for the economy
Cevdet Yılmaz AKP 28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Deputy Prime Minister
Başbakan Yardımcısı

Responsible for relations with the Council of State, the Cyprus dispute and the National Security Council
Tuğrul Türkeş MHP
until 5 September 2015
28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Independent
5-18 September 2015
AKP
since 18 September 2015
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dışişleri Bakanı
Feridun Sinirlioğlu Independent 28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of the Interior
İçişleri Bakanı
Selami Altınok Independent 28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Finance
Maliye Bakanı
Mehmet Şimşek AKP 1 May 2009 17 November 2015
Ministry of Justice
Adalet Bakanı
Kenan İpek Independent 7 March 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
Enerji ve Tabii Kaynaklar Bakanı
Ali Rıza Alaboyun Independent
(Formerly AKP)
28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock
Gıda, Tarım ve Hayvancılık Bakanı
Kutbettin Arzu Independent
(Formerly AKP)
28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Kültür ve Turizm Bakanı
Yalçın Topçu Independent 28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Health
Sağlık Bakanı
Mehmet Müezzinoğlu AKP 24 January 2013 17 November 2015
Ministry of National Education
Millî Eğitim Bakanı
Nabi Avcı AKP 24 January 2013 17 November 2015
Ministry of National Defence
Millî Savunma Bakanı
Vecdi Gönül Independent
(Formerly AKP)
3 July 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology
Bilim, Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanı
Fikri Işık AKP 25 December 2013 17 November 2015
Ministry of Labour and Social Security
Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanı
Ahmet Erdem Independent 28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communication
Ulaştırma, Denizcilik ve Haberleşme Bakanı
Feridun Bilgin Independent 7 March 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Family and Social Policy
Aile ve Sosyal Politikalar Bakanı
Ayşen Gürcan Independent 28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of European Union Affairs
Avrupa Birliği Bakanı
Ali Haydar Konca HDP 28 August 2015 22 September 2015
Beril Dedeoğlu Independent 22 September 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Economy
Ekonomi Bakanı
Nihat Zeybekçi AKP 25 December 2013 17 November 2015
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Gençlik ve Spor Bakanı
Akif Çağatay Kılıç AKP 25 December 2013 17 November 2015
Ministry of Development
Kalkınma Bakanı
Müslüm Doğan HDP 28 August 2015 22 September 2015
Cüneyd Düzyol Independent 22 September 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Customs and Trade
Gümrük ve Ticaret Bakanı
Cenap Aşçı Independent 28 August 2015 17 November 2015
Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning
Çevre ve Şehircilik Bakanı
İdris Güllüce AKP 25 December 2013 17 November 2015
Ministry of Forest and Water Management
Orman ve Su İşleri Bakanı
Veysel Eroğlu AKP 29 August 2007 17 November 2015

Controversies

Pro-AKP Independents

With 11 independents due to be appointed, it was observed that many independents were in fact former AKP politicians or individuals with close ties with the AKP.[27] These included the following ministers.

It was revealed that Ali Rıza Alaboyun, Kutbettin Arzu and Vecdi Gönül all resigned from the AKP shortly before the cabinet was formed so that they could take part as an Independent. Cenap Aşçı was a civil servant with no political affiliation before his appointment, despite trying unsuccessfully to become an AKP parliamentary candidate.[28]

Minister Position Link with AKP
Ali Rıza Alaboyun Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources AKP MP for Aksaray between 2002 and 2015
Kutbettin Arzu Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock AKP MP for Diyarbakır between 2007 and 2011
Vecdi Gönül Ministry of National Defence AKP MP from 2002 to 2015, AKP National Defence Minister from 2002 to 2011
Cenap Aşçı Ministry of Customs and Trade AKP parliamentary candidacy applicant in 2011 and June 2015[29]

References

  1. http://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2015/08/19/chp-secim-hukumeti-kararini-verdi
  2. http://www.internethaber.com/mhpnin-secim-hukumeti-karari-bahceliden-flas-aciklama-809318h.htm
  3. http://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/akp-de-secim-sikintisi-87210.html
  4. http://t24.com.tr/haber/basbakan-davutoglu-secim-hukumeti-plani-hakkinda-aciklama-yapiyor,307423
  5. http://t24.com.tr/haber/davutoglu-chp-ve-mhpye-yakin-burokratlara-bakanlik-teklifi-goturecek,307383
  6. http://www.radikal.com.tr/politika/basbakan_davutoglundan_onemli_aciklama-1419081
  7. http://www.bugun.com.tr/gundem/chpden-radikal-karar-haberi/1799266
  8. http://www.ntv.com.tr/turkiye/deniz-baykal-bakanlik-teklifini-3-sayfalik-mektupla-reddetti,pAmT88Ew80eB9Fs54XSM6Q
  9. http://www.ntv.com.tr/turkiye/tekin-bingol-ile-erdogan-topraktan-yazili-ret,jhviXjQalUeCg_wavJGyOw
  10. http://www.haberahval.com/haberiniz-1577858-chpli-gulsun-bilgehan-bakanlik-teklifini-geri-cevirdi
  11. http://www.haberahval.com/haberiniz-1577772-bingol-ve-toprak-teklife-hayir-dedi
  12. http://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/gundem/300350.aspx
  13. http://www.internethaber.com/chpden-buyuk-sok-secim-hukumeti-karari-808071h.htm
  14. http://www.mynet.com/haber/politika/tugrul-turkes-bakanlik-teklifini-kabul-etti-1997887-1
  15. http://www.internethaber.com/meral-aksenerden-bakanlik-teklifine-yanit-809604h.htm
  16. http://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/politika/300287.aspx
  17. http://www.internethaber.com/chpden-buyuk-sok-secim-hukumeti-karari-808071h.htm
  18. http://t24.com.tr/haber/hdpden-bakanlik-teklifi-yorumu-kabul-edecegiz-partimizin-karari,307586
  19. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/29920640.asp
  20. http://t24.com.tr/haber/hdpden-bakanlik-teklifi-yorumu-kabul-edecegiz-partimizin-karari,307586
  21. http://www.demokrathaber.net/siyaset/hdp-secim-hukumetine-girecek-mi-girerse-hangi-bakanliklari-alacak-h53248.html
  22. http://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/yasam/300327.aspx
  23. http://www.dailysabah.com/elections/2015/08/27/pm-davutoglu-thanks-turkeys-nationalist-mhp-deputy-for-accepting-cabinet-offer-slams-chairman
  24. http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/gundem/mhpde-sok-turkes-ihrac-edilecek-920234/
  25. http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/gundem/tugrul-turkes-ihrac-edildi-928464/?utm_source=sm_fb&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=gundem
  26. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/29920640.asp
  27. http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/gundem/63-hukumetin-bagimsiz-bagimlilari-922766/?utm_source=sm_tw&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=gundem
  28. http://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/politika/301008.aspx
  29. http://t24.com.tr/haber/milletvekili-olamayan-cenap-asci-persembe-gunu-mustesar-cuma-gunu-de-bakan-oldu,307834
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