The deal, which includes the country’s largest nationalist opposition political party, is likely to dilute the Justice and Development party’s (AKP) control of the legislature and overcome the regulation that any party must receive 10% of the national vote to win a seat in parliament, a rule that has reinforced Erdo?an’s long-running majority in the parliament.
The coalition includes the Republican People’s party (CHP), the ?yi (Good) party, the Saadet party (SP) and the Democrat party (DP).
The Republican People’s party (CHP ) is the largest opposition grouping in the Turkish parliament, and the newly formed ?yi is composed primarily of nationalists. The ?yi leader, Meral Ak?ener, known as the "Iron Lady" of Turkish politics, has declared herself a presidential candidate.
They will run against the ruling AKP and the Nationalist Action party (MHP), which formed a coalition this year to contest the polls.
Erdo?an has called snap presidential and parliamentary elections on 24 June, a year and a half ahead of schedule. Whoever is elected president will assume sweeping powers that were narrowly approved in a controversial referendum last year.
Erdo?an is the clear favourite to win the presidential race, but a larger opposition bloc in parliament would pose a significant challenge.
Turkey’s electoral system awards seats based on a proportional representation formula that tends to reward larger parties and coalitions. Parties that fail to achieve the 10% minimum of the national vote have any seats won reallocated to others that meet the threshold.
In March, the AKP-dominated parliament passed a bill that permitted electoral alliances in Turkish elections for the first time. The law allows smaller parties to skirt the 10% threshold by entering a coalition.
