Turkey cabinet resigns after polls blow

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reeling from shock election results, on Tuesday accepted the resignation of the cabinet but asked the prime minister and his team to stay on until a new government is formed.

The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) failure in Sunday's polls to keep its parliamentary majority for the first time since it came to power in 2002 has left the country facing either a coalition government or snap elections.

Erdogan hosted Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for an hour of closed-door talks inside the vast new presidential palace in Ankara.

"Mr President accepted today the resignation of the cabinet that was presented by Mr Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu," Erdogan's office said in a brief statement. "Mr President, who thanked the cabinet for its services so far, asked the cabinet to remain in charge until a new government is formed," it added.

A government source told AFP that the expected move was purely procedural and that Erdogan would host Davutoglu again at a later date to discuss starting coalition talks with other parties. There are, however, no straightforward coalition options, making snap elections a real possibility. Erdogan can call snap elections within 45 days if efforts to form a coalition are unsuccessful.    (AFP)

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