Turkish prime minister could step down

International Desk: Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will hold an extraordinary congress on May 22 where Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will not seek a new mandate as party chairman, local media reported on Thursday.

A party executive committee meeting, which came after talks Wednesday between Davutoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, decided to hold a party congress on May 22 to pick a new leader who according to party convention would also serve as premier, CNN-Turk and NTV television reported.

An official from the PM’s office, contacted by AFP, declined to comment on the reports, saying that Davutoglu would soon make a statement.

Davutoglu’s departure would further boost the power of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the country’s undisputed number one leader.
Divisions between Davutoglu and Erdogan that had been rumoured for months erupted into the open on Wednesday, with the two leaders holding crisis talks at the presidential palace that failed to resolve the conflict.

Davutoglu became premier in August 2014 when Erdogan moved from the premiership to the presidency.
A figure loyal to Erdogan is expected to run in this month’s congress for the post of party chief and thus premier, which would further consolidate the president’s powers.

Source: agencies.

risingbd/Dhaka/May 5, 2016/Nasim