Business Standard

New Turkish PM wins parliament confidence vote

Image

AFP Ankara
Turkey's new government led by a staunch ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan easily passed a confidence vote in the country's parliament today, the speaker announced after the vote.

Binali Yildirim, who replaced Ahmet Davutoglu as prime minister last week, was backed by 315 parliamentarians while 138 voted against, parliament speaker Ismail Kahraman said after the ballot.

Yildirim described his new administration as "the government of 79 million Turks" in a short speech to parliament following the vote, promising to "take democracy even further".

The new government takes office amid opposition accusations that Erdogan is attempting to rule like a dictator by enhancing his own power.
 

"We are opposed to a presidentialisation of the system. The country cannot be sacrificed to the ambitions of one man," Levent Gok of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said earlier in the week.

The ruling AKP party will now seek a "mini-revision" to the constitution that would allow Erdogan to become a "party-affiliated president" instead of remaining non-partisan.

Yildirim, 60, has also made no secret of his enthusiasm for a system change in Turkey that would restrict the powers of the prime minister and bolster the presidency.
(REOPENS DEL7)

Rahul Gandhi also expressed shock over the terror attack in Istanbul.

"Shocked &deeply saddened by news of yet another terror attack in Istanbul;.Strongly condemn this cowardly attack on innocents".

"My prayers are with the families of the victims & the ppl of #Istanbul",the Congress Vice Presidentsaid on Twitter.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: May 29 2016 | 7:57 PM IST

Explore News