The 2015 Turkish general election ended the AKP's 13-year parliamentary majority and produced Turkey's first hung parliament since 1999.
Key Facts
- Seats contested
- 550
- AKP vote share
- 40.9%
- AKP seats won
- 258 seats
- HDP vote share
- 13.1%
- HDP & MHP seats each
- 80 seats
- Election number
- 24th general election in Turkish Republic history
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After over a decade of AKP majority rule, public concern over a faltering economy, government corruption exposed by the 2013 scandal, authoritarian tendencies highlighted by the Gezi Park protests, and Turkey's entanglement in the Syrian Civil War eroded support for the ruling party and energized opposition voters heading into the June 2015 vote.
On 7 June 2015, Turkish voters elected 550 members to the Grand National Assembly. The AKP won 258 seats with 40.9% of the vote, losing its outright majority. The HDP cleared the 10% threshold and won 80 seats alongside the MHP, while the CHP took 132 seats, producing the country's first hung parliament since 1999.
With no party holding a majority, coalition negotiations failed and no government could be formed. This triggered a snap election called for November 2015. The result also blocked President Erdoğan's ambition to introduce an executive presidency, as the AKP fell well short of the two-thirds parliamentary majority required to amend the constitution.
Political Outcome
Hung parliament; AKP lost its majority with 258 of 550 seats; coalition talks failed; snap election called for November 2015
AKP held outright parliamentary majority, governing alone since 2002
No party held a majority; AKP 258 seats, CHP 132, MHP 80, HDP 80