Turkey’s PM Davutoglu to step down
Turkey’s prime minister is reportedly stepping down from his role following a dramatic day in domestic politics.
The ruling AK Party is set to hold an extraordinary congress on May 22, and local media report that Ahmet Davutoglu has said he will not seek renomination as party leader and consequently prime minister.
The country may face early elections. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Davutoglu met late Wednesday but allegedly failed to smooth over their disagreements. Davutoglu has not been a strong supporter of some of Erdogan’s policies, including potential constitutional changes to make the largely ceremonial presidency into an all-powerful position.
The rift between the two politicians became particularly pronounced last week when the AK party stripped Davutoglu of his power to appoint local and provincial leaders.
The leadership turmoil comes at a politically charged time in Turkey as it strives to become a member of the EU, deal with a deluge of refugees, and combat violence linked to Islamic State and Kurdish militants.
Source: VOANews.com
