Turkish foreign minister set to be Erdogan’s new prime minister

Kurdish peace process and new constitution priorities, says president-elect

Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who is set to succeed president-elect Tayyip Erdogan as the country’s prime minister. Photograph: Simela Pantzartzi/EPA
Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who is set to succeed president-elect Tayyip Erdogan as the country’s prime minister. Photograph: Simela Pantzartzi/EPA

Turkish president-elect Tayyip Erdogan named foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu as his future prime minister today and said a power struggle with a US-based cleric, a Kurdish peace process and a new constitution would be his top priorities.

Mr Erdogan said the ruling AK Party’s executive board had agreed to nominate Davutoglu as its next leader and, by default, his future premier.

The decision must now be endorsed in a party vote next Wednesday, but is unlikely to be opposed.

Mr Erdogan's victory in the country's first direct ballot for head of state on August 10th marked a turning point for Turkey, taking the European Union candidate nation and Nato member a step closer to the presidential system he has long coveted. – (Reuters)