Turkey's Davutoglu appointed interim PM ahead of polls

Turkey's Davutoglu appointed interim PM ahead of polls

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has appointed PM Ahmet Davutoglu to head an interim administration ahead of elections expected in November.

Mr Erdogan confirmed the snap election on Monday, after Mr Davutoglu had failed to form a coalition in the wake of polls in June.

Mr Davutoglu's AK Party lost its 12-year majority rule largely because of the success of the pro-Kurdish HDP.

The poll date is expected to be announced later on Tuesday.

Turkish media say the date will probably be 1 November.

Mr Erdogan asked Mr Davutoglu to be interim PM at a meeting on Tuesday at the presidential palace.

Part of Mr Davutoglu's job will be to oversee the elections. He has five days to form a cabinet.

Election re-run

The constitution says all parties should be represented in the interim administration but this is the first time such a government has been needed and the leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition said he would not be surprised if Mr Erdogan tried to exclude it.

Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas said it would be prepared to take part, although the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have refused to do so.