Erdogan’s loyal ally Binali Yildirim appointed new Turkey PM, promises ‘harmony’

Turkey’s ruling party named an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the new prime minister yesterday, as the strongman seeks to tighten his grip on power.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) appointed Transport Minister Binali Yildirim as its chairman, meaning he will automatically become prime minister.

Yildirim is poised to replace Ahmet Davutoglu, who stepped down after a power struggle with Erdogan.

“We will work in total harmony with all our party comrades at all levels, beginning with our founding president and leader,” said Yildirim, referring to Erdogan, after being named party head.

The 60-year-old Yildirim is seen as one of Erdogan’s closest long-time confidants and has served an almost unbroken stint from 2002 to 2013 as transport minister and then again from 2015. Analysts expect that Yildirim – who has never stepped out of line with the president on a policy issue – will prove far more pliable than Davutoglu.

The new prime minister’s main task, observers say, will be to pilot a change in the constitution to transform Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system, placing more power in Erdogan’s hands.

“And now it’s time for the presidential system,” Yildirim said in May just after Davutoglu’s resignation.