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Erdogan elected leader of Turkey’s ruling party

Erdogan’s candidature was the only one nominated for the post. He won support from 1,414 out of 1,470 delegates to the congress
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan EPA/TUMAY BERKIN
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
© EPA/TUMAY BERKIN

ANKARA, May 21. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was elected leader of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party at the party’s extraordinary congress on Sunday.

Erdogan’s candidature was the only one nominated for the post. He won support from 1,414 out of 1,470 delegates to the congress. Erdogan has succeeded Prime Minister Binali Yildirim who will be the party’s number two leader and will continue as a member of the party’s central executive committee. For these ends, amendments have been introduced to the party’s charter.

After a constitutional referendum of April 16 overrode a ban on the president’s membership in any party, Erdogan was back in the ruling party as a rank and file member on May 2, after a 33-month no-party presidency.