Erdogan names next AK party leader

Turkish prime minister and president-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Davutoglu is to succeed him as chairman of the ruling conservative AK Party.

He said the decision came after a long consultation process, and that it would in all probability mean that Davutoglu would become Turkey’s new Prime Minister: “As he will become Chairman of the party, in due course he will be the candidate to become prime minister of Turkey, although I’m jumping ahead a bit here, but it will be the current Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Davutoglu.”

The appointment came as no surprise. Davutoglu is a close political ally of Erdogan and is not expected to challenge his leadership.

He was the prime minister’s diplomatic adviser from 2003 until 2009 when he became foreign affairs minister. He will become prime minister on August 28, the day after Erdogan formally picks up the presidential reins.