ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday approved a new government formed by one of his most trusted allies, who has pledged to push through constitutional reforms that would expand the powers of the presidency.
Erdogan took a break from hosting a summit meeting in Istanbul to approve a Cabinet list presented by Binali Yildirim, who replaces the outgoing prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu.
Erdogan tapped Yildirim, 60, to form a new government on Sunday after Davutoglu stepped down amid a range of differences with the president, including Davutoglu’s apparent less-than-enthusiastic stance toward an overhaul of the constitution to give the largely ceremonial presidency executive powers.
Soon after his nomination, Yildirim vowed to follow Erdogan’s path and transition Turkey into a presidential system.
Many fear the presidential system that Erdogan seeks will concentrate too many powers in the hands of the Turkish strongman, who has adopted an increasing authoritarian style of governing and has crackdown on media and government critics.