Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called new parliamentary elections, after a deadline passed for forming a government with the opposition.
The move, announced in a presidential statement Monday, was widely expected after two months of coalition talks failed to produce a new government.
The statement did not say when the new election will be held, but government officials have previously said it likely will take place November 1.
Government officials say Erdogan is expected to meet with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday, to ask him to form a temporary power-sharing government until the new elections are held.
Erdogan's Justice and Development Party lost its parliamentary majority in June for the first time since 2002, forcing it to enter talks with the opposition to try to form a coalition alliance.
Opponents of Erdogan have accused him of trying to derail efforts to create a coalition alliance so that he can give his party the chance to win back its majority and rule alone.
Turkey's political uncertainty, along with battles with Islamic State insurgents on its borders and violence with Kurdish militants at home, has caused the lira currency to drop to record lows.
Erdogan, who has championed a more powerful presidency, said last week that he had no intention of giving Turkey's opposition leader — Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the second-placed Republican People's Party — the chance to form a coalition government.
The president's ruling AKP lost its 12-year majority rule in June elections mainly due to the success of the newly created pro-Kurdish HDP.
Some information is from Reuters, AP and AFP.
