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Turkey's ruling party is to re-elect its leadership at extraordinary Congress on Sunday

By tradition the Turkish prime minister is also the head of the ruling party

ANKARA, May 22. /TASS/. Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) convenes an extraordinary congress on Sunday to discuss the re-election of the party’s leadership: the party’s Chairman and new Prime Minister.

By tradition the Turkish prime minister is also the head of the ruling party.

The only candidate, who has been nominated for these posts, is incumbent Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Binali Yildirim. It is expected that the delegates will vote by a majority vote of his appointment.

He will be also become the new Prime Minister, since traditionally the head of this party also occupy the post of the head of the government.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said earlier that he is going to sign an appropriate order later on Sunday after the Congress ends.

Binali Yildirim was born on December 20, 1955 in the province of Erzincan. He graduated from the faculty of Shipbuilding and Navigation, and defended his thesis at the Istanbul Technical University.

In 1994-2000, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Fast Ferries Company. During that time he significantly expanded the network of routes and number of marinas for ferries, which is crucially important for the multi-million metropolis.

In 2001, together with Erdogan he stood at the origins of the AKP, the young party, which in 2002 became the ruling party in Turkey. As part of the four successive governments AKP, he served as Minister of Transport and with the exception of a short break.

Yildirim is to replace Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu who resigned earlier this month. Davutoglu said he will not nominate his candidacy for the party chairman at the party’s early elections.

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