Turkey politics: Erdogan ally Yildirim to be appointed PM

 

In his speech to the congress, Mr Yildirim said Turkey needed an executive presidential system

Turkey's ruling AK Party is set to appoint a key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as its leader and new prime minister, after a reported rift led Ahmet Davutoglu to quit.

Binali Yildirim, the outgoing transport minister, is the sole candidate at an extraordinary party congress in Ankara.

Addressing the congress, he said Turkey needed a new constitution and an executive presidential system.

The issue is thought to have been behind the resignation of Mr Davutoglu.

• Leadership rift spoils Turkey's party
• PM to step down after falling out of favour

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Istanbul says Mr Yildirim will not step out of line with Mr Erdogan, even if supporting the constitutional change would see his role effectively scrapped.

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The BBC speaks to supporters of three different parties, whose views show how divided the country has become

Some Western leaders find Mr Erdogan hard to deal with, he says, and opponents believe an unchecked Mr Erdogan will clamp down further on dissent.

But Mr Erdogan's supporters - mainly conservative, pious Turks - still see him as the man who gave them a political voice and insist he is right to exert his control, our correspondent says.

Mr Yildirim takes the job as Turkey faces security threats from PKK Kurdish militants and so-called Islamic State.

 

Ahmet Davutoglu told the congress it had not been his choice to leave

A ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK ended weeks after elections in June 2015, and the renewed conflict has claimed hundreds of lives on both sides, particularly in Turkey's south-east.

In his speech at the extraordinary congress, Mr Yildirim vowed to continue the struggle against Kurdish militants and Islamic State fighters.

Mr Davutoglu resigned two weeks ago after failing to reconcile his differences with Mr Erdogan.

Mr Davutoglu also addressed the congress, praising the party and Mr Erdogan, but saying that it had not been his choice to step down.

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A reward for loyalty: Selin Girit, BBC News, Istanbul

 

Mr Yildirim has served as transport minister for many years

The choice of Binali Yildirim has surprised few in Turkey, as he has been an Erdogan favourite for years. He has remained loyal in the most troubling times, and that loyalty appears to have paid off.

He has served as transport minister for many years, and did not hesitate to resign from his post to run for the mayoral elections in the western city of Izmir, a secular stronghold, at Mr Erdogan's request.

His name had come up as a possible candidate for the party leadership at last year's AKP congress. And that forced Mr Davutoglu to concede some of his powers within the party.

One AKP MP had to apologise after suggesting that the next prime minister would be a "low-profile" name.