Turkey's election board proposes new date for 'snap polls'

Turkey's election authority proposed November 1 as a possible date for early elections after the failure of attempts to form a coalition government following June 7 polls, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported Thursday.

The proposal, presented to political parties before a final decision is made, comes three days ahead of an August 23 deadline for forming a new government.

The Higher Election Board, or YSK, will determine an exact date for elections after the parties give their opinions, Anatolia said.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu whose ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost its overall majority in the June election formally told President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week that he had failed to form a coalition government.

Under the constitution, Erdogan should now be obliged to give a mandate to the second-placed Republican People's Party (CHP) to form a new government.

But the president indicated Wednesday he would not do so.

If Erdogan invokes his right to call the election himself, an interim "election government" will be in charge until the polls - to be made up of all four parties in the parliament.

But the CHP and third-placed Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have announced they will not take part in a short-term government.