Erdogan was sworn in for a third term

Erdogan won the run-off election last Sunday against the candidate of the opposition Social Democratic Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The 69-year-old vowed to “do his duty with integrity” in front of 600 lawmakers in Ankara.

After his re-election, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in for another five-year term. Erdogan vowed to “fulfill his duty” in front of 600 deputies in Ankara on Saturday. The 69-year-old won last Sunday’s run-off election with 52 percent of the vote against Social Democratic opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

“I swear as president to use all my strength to protect the existence and independence of the state,” the president said at the ceremony, which was broadcast live on Turkish television. Erdogan promised not to deviate from the rule of law and the secular principles of the republic founded 100 years ago by the first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

After taking the oath, Erdogan’s supporters got up and clapped for several minutes. However, some opposition MPs refused to stand. Then a visit to the mausoleum of the founder of the republic, Ataturk, was planned – followed by a grand ceremony in the presidential palace, which was attended by many heads of state from around the world.

Among those invited was Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pachinyan, his government in Yerevan confirmed – despite decades of strained relations between the two countries. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is also expected to attend.

Former Finance Minister Erdogan may return

After dinner, Erdogan wanted to introduce his new government. There has been speculation that former Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek may return to the position he held from 2009 to 2015. However, he is known for his disapproval of Erdoğan’s controversial financial policies.

New MPs were elected on the first ballot on 14 May and sworn in on Friday. Erdoğan’s coalition government retains the majority in the National Assembly after the elections.

The conservative Islamist Erdogan has been in charge of the country’s fortunes for 20 years: as prime minister since 2003 and president from 2014. Erdogan has ruled in an increasingly authoritarian manner over the years, and critics accuse him of suppressing dissent.

(APA)