Former President Gül Calls Erdoğan, Turkish Pm

- President Tayyip Erdoğan’s predecessor, 11th President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gül has called the former in order to extend his good wishes after the June 7 parliamentary election, while he also reportedly called Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to deliver a message that warned him against the consequences of a possible snap election.

Gül initiated a telephone conversation with Erdoğan late on June 11, the semi-autonomous Anadolu Agency reported June 12, citing anonymous sources from Erdoğan’s office.

Gül voiced his wish that the results of the June 7 vote would bring good for Turkey, the agency reported.
Both Gül and Erdoğan are co-founders of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), while the latter feverishly campaigned for the ruling party during electioneering period.

However, the AKP has lost parliamentary majority and now the country is passing through a period of uncertainty in regards to whether a coalition government will be formed or a snap election will be held.

Meanwhile, Gül also called Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu “right after” the election, daily Posta newspaper reported on June 12, without elaborating the exact time of this telephone conversation.

According to Posta, Gül delivered the same messages to both Erdoğan and Davutoğlu.

“There should be a quest for a coalition government which includes the AK Party [AKP]. A ground for conciliation should be created via forcing all conditions. The message that the nation gave in the June 7 general election is ‘coalition government’” the daily quoted Gül as saying to the two leaders, both of whom are his long-time comrades.

“Making a decision for early election via turning a blind eye to this will that came out of the ballot box would be a very grave mistake. This mistake may lead to more fatal results for the AKP in the future,” Gül was quoted as saying.

According to the reports by the Anadolu and Posta newspaper, the telephone conversation between Gül and Erdoğan took place hours after Erdoğan called on June 11 for the swift formation of a new coalition government, ending almost four days of unusual silence after the legislative polls dealt a blow to his authority.

Amid messages intensely and publicly delivered by political players, as of June 10, Prime Minister Davutoğlu said that the AKP would lead coalition talks with other parties but warned that snap elections were not ruled out should discussions fail.