Turkish Technocrat Nominated to Become New Prime Minister

ISTANBUL— Turkey’s governing party on Thursday formally tapped Binali Yildirim as its candidate to lead the party and become the country’s next premier.The spokesman of the ruling Justice and Development Party, Omer Celik, made the announcement, sayi...
Turkish Technocrat Nominated to Become New Prime Minister
In this Thursday, May 12, 2016 photo, Binali Yildirim, Turkey's Transportation Minister and founding member of Turkey’s governing AKP party, participates in a meeting in Ankara, Turkey. It is announced Thursday May 19, 2016, Yildirim will stand unopposed for the party leadership and thereby automatically become Prime Minister at an extraordinary meeting to be held Sunday in Ankara. The shake up comes after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stepped down on May 4.AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici
The Associated Press
Updated:

ISTANBUL— Turkey’s governing party on Thursday formally tapped Binali Yildirim as its candidate to lead the party and become the country’s next premier.

The spokesman of the ruling Justice and Development Party, Omer Celik, made the announcement, saying the lawmaker from Izmir was chosen “with great consensus.”

Yildirim is Turkey’s minister of transport, maritime and communications as well as a founding member of the AKP. He will run unopposed for the party leadership at a special convention Sunday in Ankara. Traditionally, the post of premier in Turkey goes to the leader of the largest party in parliament.

The shake-up comes after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced May 4 he was stepping down amid differences with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Analysts expect his successor to be more in tune with Erdogan, who is pushing for a constitutional overhaul that would concentrate greater powers in his hands.

Binali Yildirim, centre,Turkey's Transportation Minister, sitting next to Emine Erdogan, 2nd left, the wife of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, applauds during a meeting in Ankara, Turkey. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Press Presidency Press Service via AP, Pool)
Binali Yildirim, centre,Turkey's Transportation Minister, sitting next to Emine Erdogan, 2nd left, the wife of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, applauds during a meeting in Ankara, Turkey. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Press Presidency Press Service via AP, Pool