Turkey's incoming Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Tuesday unveiled his new cabinet line-up two days after being given a mandate by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with most key ministers keeping their jobs but the EU minister switched.
The new cabinet is packed with Erdogan loyalists following the resignation of outgoing premier Ahmet Davutoglu, but contained fewer radical changes than some had predicted.
Key names in the former cabinet remained in place, including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, and Interior Minister Efkan Ala as well as deputy prime minister in charge of economy Mehmet Simsek, in a relief to markets.
Following earlier losses, the Turkish lira rallied sharply on the announcement, gaining 0.6 percent against the US dollar on the day.
In the biggest change, ruling party spokesman Omer Celik will be new EU affairs minister, replacing Volkan Bozkir, one of the brokers of a controversial deal with the European Union to curb the flow of migrants to Europe.
Fikri Isik also replaces Ismet Yilmaz as defence minister and there was no place in the cabinet for powerful deputy prime minister Yalcin Akdogan.
Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak keeps his job as energy minister, after suggestions he could have been promoted to an even more senior job.
It was not immediately clear when the cabinet -- which must pass a vote of confidence in parliament -- would be sworn in, although it was expected to convene for the first time on Wednesday in the symbolic location of Erdogan's palace, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.
- 'Your love is our love' -
Yildirim, seen a close ally of Erdogan, was on Sunday elected by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) as its chairman, replacing Davutoglu, who stepped down after a power struggle with the president.
By AKP convention, the posts of premier and ruling party chief are held by the same person.
Erdogan, who is hosting a two-day UN humanitarian summit in Istanbul, flew to Ankara on Monday for a late-night meeting with the new prime minister, who has vowed to beef up the president's powers through changes to the constitution.
In his first address to the AKP's regular meeting in parliament on Tuesday, Yildirim emphasised his loyalty to "Turkey's first elected president" Erdogan.
"Your path is our path, your cause is our cause, your love is our love," Yildirim said.
Transport minister for almost all of the 15 years the AKP has been in government, Yildirim is believed to be a more pliant figure for Erdogan and will devote his time to replacing Turkey's 1982 junta-made constitution.
"We will kickstart constitutional work as soon as possible," Yildirim said.
"It is not only a concern of our president but also a future concern of the Turkish republic ... Turkey cannot achieve its 2023 targets with the current charter."
Erdogan, who served as premier for over a decade, moved to the presidency in 2014 and is seeking broader powers to tighten more grip on power. Although constitution stipulates that the president has to be neutral, Erdogan has made no secret of his bond with the AKP, which he co-founded.
Turkish media reported that Yildirim's appointment would be herald of a new era in politics and de-facto start of a party-affiliated president.
- 'More friends, less enemies' -
Known as a technocrat and a man of grandiose projects who is championed by the president, Yildirim is not used to addressing big audiences and his speech in parliament was marred by a hoarse voice, as it was at the weekend party congress.
In an address often interrupted by cheers from party activists, Yildirim remarked: "Let me explain my case for 10 minutes and then you are free to cheer."
Both Erdogan and Yildirim are strongly opposed to resuming talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the militant group that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces since a two-year ceasefire collapsed in 2015.
"They ask me when the operations will end. The answer is short and clear: (they will continue) until the bloody terrorist organisation ceases armed attacks on civilians," Yildirim said.
Outgoing deputy premier Akdogan had angered Erdogan in February last year after taking part in a press conference with a pro-Kurdish HDP leader who relayed a message from PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan urging militants to disarm.
In a positive message on foreign policy, Yildirim said: "We will increase the number of our friends and reduce the number of our enemies."
Turkey’s incoming Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Tuesday unveiled his new cabinet line-up two days after being given a mandate by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with most key ministers keeping their jobs but the EU minister switched.
The new cabinet is packed with Erdogan loyalists following the resignation of outgoing premier Ahmet Davutoglu, but contained fewer radical changes than some had predicted.
Key names in the former cabinet remained in place, including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, and Interior Minister Efkan Ala as well as deputy prime minister in charge of economy Mehmet Simsek, in a relief to markets.
Following earlier losses, the Turkish lira rallied sharply on the announcement, gaining 0.6 percent against the US dollar on the day.
In the biggest change, ruling party spokesman Omer Celik will be new EU affairs minister, replacing Volkan Bozkir, one of the brokers of a controversial deal with the European Union to curb the flow of migrants to Europe.
Fikri Isik also replaces Ismet Yilmaz as defence minister and there was no place in the cabinet for powerful deputy prime minister Yalcin Akdogan.
Erdogan’s son-in-law Berat Albayrak keeps his job as energy minister, after suggestions he could have been promoted to an even more senior job.
It was not immediately clear when the cabinet — which must pass a vote of confidence in parliament — would be sworn in, although it was expected to convene for the first time on Wednesday in the symbolic location of Erdogan’s palace, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.
– ‘Your love is our love’ –
Yildirim, seen a close ally of Erdogan, was on Sunday elected by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) as its chairman, replacing Davutoglu, who stepped down after a power struggle with the president.
By AKP convention, the posts of premier and ruling party chief are held by the same person.
Erdogan, who is hosting a two-day UN humanitarian summit in Istanbul, flew to Ankara on Monday for a late-night meeting with the new prime minister, who has vowed to beef up the president’s powers through changes to the constitution.
In his first address to the AKP’s regular meeting in parliament on Tuesday, Yildirim emphasised his loyalty to “Turkey’s first elected president” Erdogan.
“Your path is our path, your cause is our cause, your love is our love,” Yildirim said.
Transport minister for almost all of the 15 years the AKP has been in government, Yildirim is believed to be a more pliant figure for Erdogan and will devote his time to replacing Turkey’s 1982 junta-made constitution.
“We will kickstart constitutional work as soon as possible,” Yildirim said.
“It is not only a concern of our president but also a future concern of the Turkish republic … Turkey cannot achieve its 2023 targets with the current charter.”
Erdogan, who served as premier for over a decade, moved to the presidency in 2014 and is seeking broader powers to tighten more grip on power. Although constitution stipulates that the president has to be neutral, Erdogan has made no secret of his bond with the AKP, which he co-founded.
Turkish media reported that Yildirim’s appointment would be herald of a new era in politics and de-facto start of a party-affiliated president.
– ‘More friends, less enemies’ –
Known as a technocrat and a man of grandiose projects who is championed by the president, Yildirim is not used to addressing big audiences and his speech in parliament was marred by a hoarse voice, as it was at the weekend party congress.
In an address often interrupted by cheers from party activists, Yildirim remarked: “Let me explain my case for 10 minutes and then you are free to cheer.”
Both Erdogan and Yildirim are strongly opposed to resuming talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the militant group that has killed hundreds of members of the security forces since a two-year ceasefire collapsed in 2015.
“They ask me when the operations will end. The answer is short and clear: (they will continue) until the bloody terrorist organisation ceases armed attacks on civilians,” Yildirim said.
Outgoing deputy premier Akdogan had angered Erdogan in February last year after taking part in a press conference with a pro-Kurdish HDP leader who relayed a message from PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan urging militants to disarm.
In a positive message on foreign policy, Yildirim said: “We will increase the number of our friends and reduce the number of our enemies.”
