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Turkey PM’s fate in doubt as party heads to congress

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The future of Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was hanging in the balance Wednesday as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) prepared to head into an extraordinary congress that could signal his exit as premier.

Davutoglu, who is also party chief, had earlier held an over 90-minute meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that media had described as critical for the premier's future, amid reports of a split between the two leaders over key policy areas.

Davutoglu, who was longtime foreign minister under Erdogan's premiership, has sought to defeat predictions he would be a puppet on becoming prime minister in August 2014 by carving out his own profile.

No official statement was released after the meeting at Erdogan's presidential palace in Ankara. However, CNN-Turk and NTV news channels reported Wednesday that the congress is to be held later this month.

Calling of the meeting is key because it will allow for the election of a new party head. According to AKP convention, the posts of party boss and head of government always go to the same person.

Davutoglu will hold a news conference on Thursday following a gathering of the party's central executive committee beginning at 0800 GMT, the official Anatolia news agency said.

The executive committee will take the formal decision on holding an extraordinary congress which would then decide on the new party leader, reports said.

A handout picture from the Turkish presidential press office on May 4  2016 shows President Recep Ta...
A handout picture from the Turkish presidential press office on May 4, 2016 shows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu during their meeting in Ankara
, Turkish Presidential Press Office/AFP

Prominent Turkish commentator Abdulkadir Selvi, who writes for the Hurriyet daily, told CNN-Turk that according to his information Davutoglu would not be a candidate for the party leadership at the congress.

If this became reality, it would mean that Turkey is heading for a change of premier at a time when Ankara is implementing a key deal on refugees with the EU and battling Kurdish as well as Islamist militants.

The possibility of tumult at the top of Turkish politics at a critical moment unnerved financial markets, with the lira losing 3.7 percent in value against the dollar to trade at 2.95 lira to the greenback.

- 'Erdogan amassing power' -

Since becoming president in August 2014 after over a decade as prime minister, Erdogan has sought to tighten his grip on the levers of power, leading critics to accuse him of authoritarianism.

The appointment of a potentially more pliant prime minister would allow Erdogan to further consolidate his powers.

Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute, said the move was the next stage in a "hollowing out" of Turkish institutions by Erdogan who already controls the army and parliament.

"It shows how much power has been massed in one person's hands," he told AFP, adding that Erdogan was now exercising more control than anyone in Turkey's modern democratic history.

Since becoming president in August 2014 after over a decade as prime minister  Erdogan has sought to...
Since becoming president in August 2014 after over a decade as prime minister, Erdogan has sought to tighten his grip on power
Adem Altan, AFP/File

The departure of Davutoglu "will allow Erdogan to distance himself from some of his failed policies that can be attributed to Davutoglu," he added.

Tension had reportedly been building between the men for months, even if the speed with which it burst into the open took many by surprise.

The premier has championed a deal with the EU to stem the flow of refugees while the president has shown little interest in the accord.

By coincidence, the EU Commission announced Wednesday it was recommending giving Turks visa free travel as part of the deal.

Davutoglu has said there is no need for haste in Erdogan's drive to create a presidential system in Turkey, a pet project of the president that risks diminishing Davutoglu's own standing.

He has also clashed with Erdogan over whether journalists should be held in pre-trial detention.

A decision last week by the executive committee of the AKP to remove Davutoglu's right to appoint regional party officials was also seen by commentators as a severe blow to the authority of the premier.

Potential successors if Davutoglu steps aside include the president's longtime henchman, Transport Minister Binali Yildirim and the youthful Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, 38, who is married to the president's eldest daughter Esra.

The future of Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was hanging in the balance Wednesday as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) prepared to head into an extraordinary congress that could signal his exit as premier.

Davutoglu, who is also party chief, had earlier held an over 90-minute meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that media had described as critical for the premier’s future, amid reports of a split between the two leaders over key policy areas.

Davutoglu, who was longtime foreign minister under Erdogan’s premiership, has sought to defeat predictions he would be a puppet on becoming prime minister in August 2014 by carving out his own profile.

No official statement was released after the meeting at Erdogan’s presidential palace in Ankara. However, CNN-Turk and NTV news channels reported Wednesday that the congress is to be held later this month.

Calling of the meeting is key because it will allow for the election of a new party head. According to AKP convention, the posts of party boss and head of government always go to the same person.

Davutoglu will hold a news conference on Thursday following a gathering of the party’s central executive committee beginning at 0800 GMT, the official Anatolia news agency said.

The executive committee will take the formal decision on holding an extraordinary congress which would then decide on the new party leader, reports said.

A handout picture from the Turkish presidential press office on May 4  2016 shows President Recep Ta...

A handout picture from the Turkish presidential press office on May 4, 2016 shows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu during their meeting in Ankara
, Turkish Presidential Press Office/AFP

Prominent Turkish commentator Abdulkadir Selvi, who writes for the Hurriyet daily, told CNN-Turk that according to his information Davutoglu would not be a candidate for the party leadership at the congress.

If this became reality, it would mean that Turkey is heading for a change of premier at a time when Ankara is implementing a key deal on refugees with the EU and battling Kurdish as well as Islamist militants.

The possibility of tumult at the top of Turkish politics at a critical moment unnerved financial markets, with the lira losing 3.7 percent in value against the dollar to trade at 2.95 lira to the greenback.

– ‘Erdogan amassing power’ –

Since becoming president in August 2014 after over a decade as prime minister, Erdogan has sought to tighten his grip on the levers of power, leading critics to accuse him of authoritarianism.

The appointment of a potentially more pliant prime minister would allow Erdogan to further consolidate his powers.

Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute, said the move was the next stage in a “hollowing out” of Turkish institutions by Erdogan who already controls the army and parliament.

“It shows how much power has been massed in one person’s hands,” he told AFP, adding that Erdogan was now exercising more control than anyone in Turkey’s modern democratic history.

Since becoming president in August 2014 after over a decade as prime minister  Erdogan has sought to...

Since becoming president in August 2014 after over a decade as prime minister, Erdogan has sought to tighten his grip on power
Adem Altan, AFP/File

The departure of Davutoglu “will allow Erdogan to distance himself from some of his failed policies that can be attributed to Davutoglu,” he added.

Tension had reportedly been building between the men for months, even if the speed with which it burst into the open took many by surprise.

The premier has championed a deal with the EU to stem the flow of refugees while the president has shown little interest in the accord.

By coincidence, the EU Commission announced Wednesday it was recommending giving Turks visa free travel as part of the deal.

Davutoglu has said there is no need for haste in Erdogan’s drive to create a presidential system in Turkey, a pet project of the president that risks diminishing Davutoglu’s own standing.

He has also clashed with Erdogan over whether journalists should be held in pre-trial detention.

A decision last week by the executive committee of the AKP to remove Davutoglu’s right to appoint regional party officials was also seen by commentators as a severe blow to the authority of the premier.

Potential successors if Davutoglu steps aside include the president’s longtime henchman, Transport Minister Binali Yildirim and the youthful Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, 38, who is married to the president’s eldest daughter Esra.

AFP
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With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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