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Erdogan Loyalist Is Nominated to Be Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan Loyalist Is Nominated to Be Turkey’s Prime Minister
(about 5 hours later)
ISTANBUL — Turkey’s governing Justice and Development Party named a longtime loyalist to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as its candidate for prime minister on Thursday, the divided politics of modern Turkey overshadowing a day when Turks honor their secular founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.ISTANBUL — Turkey’s governing Justice and Development Party named a longtime loyalist to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as its candidate for prime minister on Thursday, the divided politics of modern Turkey overshadowing a day when Turks honor their secular founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The candidate, Binali Yildirim, the transportation minister, is virtually assured of winning the office and replacing Ahmet Davutoglu, who resigned recently after clashing with the increasingly authoritarian Mr. Erdogan.The candidate, Binali Yildirim, the transportation minister, is virtually assured of winning the office and replacing Ahmet Davutoglu, who resigned recently after clashing with the increasingly authoritarian Mr. Erdogan.
Mr. Yildirim, 60, who is expected to be approved at a party congress on Sunday, is widely seen as someone who will be subservient to the president and push forward Mr. Erdogan’s agenda of rewriting the Constitution and establishing an executive presidential system.Mr. Yildirim, 60, who is expected to be approved at a party congress on Sunday, is widely seen as someone who will be subservient to the president and push forward Mr. Erdogan’s agenda of rewriting the Constitution and establishing an executive presidential system.
By law, Mr. Erdogan is supposed to be above party politics, and second in power to the prime minister. But party leaders did not make even a pretext of operating separately from the president, meeting with Mr. Erdogan ahead of the announcement on Thursday, the Turkish media reported.By law, Mr. Erdogan is supposed to be above party politics, and second in power to the prime minister. But party leaders did not make even a pretext of operating separately from the president, meeting with Mr. Erdogan ahead of the announcement on Thursday, the Turkish media reported.
“There is not a millimeter gap between the president and cadres of the A.K.P.,” Omer Celik, a party spokesman, said in Ankara on Thursday, using the Turkish abbreviation for Justice and Development.“There is not a millimeter gap between the president and cadres of the A.K.P.,” Omer Celik, a party spokesman, said in Ankara on Thursday, using the Turkish abbreviation for Justice and Development.
Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Yildirim have worked together since the 1990s, when Mr. Erdogan was the mayor of Istanbul. Mr. Yildirim was one of the founding members of the Justice and Development, the Islamist party that has governed Turkey since 2002. Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Yildirim have worked together since the 1990s, when Mr. Erdogan was the mayor of Istanbul. Mr. Yildirim was one of the founding members of the Justice and Development Party, , the Islamist party that has governed Turkey since 2002.
In brief remarks on Thursday, Mr. Yildirim said he would focus on the country’s fight against terrorism; Turkey faces a resurgent war with Kurdish militants and threats by the Islamic State. “Our nation should feel at ease,” he said. “We will erase the trouble of terror from Turkey’s agenda.”In brief remarks on Thursday, Mr. Yildirim said he would focus on the country’s fight against terrorism; Turkey faces a resurgent war with Kurdish militants and threats by the Islamic State. “Our nation should feel at ease,” he said. “We will erase the trouble of terror from Turkey’s agenda.”
In contrast to Mr. Davutoglu, who served as foreign minister before becoming prime minister in 2014, Mr. Yildirim barely registers on the world stage and is unlikely to seriously challenge Mr. Erdogan’s authority. In contrast with Mr. Davutoglu, who served as foreign minister before becoming prime minister in 2014, Mr. Yildirim barely registers on the world stage and is unlikely to seriously challenge Mr. Erdogan’s authority.
Mr. Davutoglu, too, was seen in public as a loyalist to Mr. Erdogan, but privately pushed back against some of the president’s moves to accumulate power. He was seen as less-than-enthusiastic about a presidential system, and was less hawkish than Mr. Erdogan in the war in the southeast with the Kurdish militants.Mr. Davutoglu, too, was seen in public as a loyalist to Mr. Erdogan, but privately pushed back against some of the president’s moves to accumulate power. He was seen as less-than-enthusiastic about a presidential system, and was less hawkish than Mr. Erdogan in the war in the southeast with the Kurdish militants.
Mr. Davutoglu was also the face of Turkey’s negotiations with the European Union over stemming the flow of migrants from Turkey, and the chief figure on Turkey’s Syria policy, which has become deeply unpopular in the country. Early on in that uprising, five years ago, Turkey pushed for the ouster of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, and it has long armed rebel groups there. The result has been millions of refugees fleeing to Turkey, a spillover of violence in Turkish cities, and no end to the conflict in Syria. Mr. Davutoglu was also the face of his country’s negotiations with the European Union over stemming the flow of migrants from Turkey, and the chief figure on Turkey’s Syria policy, which has become deeply unpopular in the country. Early on in that uprising, five years ago, Turkey pushed for the ouster of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, and it has long armed rebel groups there. The result has been millions of refugees fleeing to Turkey, a spillover of violence in Turkish cities, and no end to the conflict in Syria.
“Davutoglu was the architect of Turkey’s Middle East policy,” said Soner Cagaptay, the director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “The new prime minister will be Erdogan’s proxy, and not a political figure. His role will be similar to the prime ministers in monarchies such as Jordan and Morocco, who are handpicked and overshadowed by those countries’ powerful kings.”“Davutoglu was the architect of Turkey’s Middle East policy,” said Soner Cagaptay, the director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “The new prime minister will be Erdogan’s proxy, and not a political figure. His role will be similar to the prime ministers in monarchies such as Jordan and Morocco, who are handpicked and overshadowed by those countries’ powerful kings.”
Analysts and Turkish journalists have speculated that Mr. Erdogan’s first choice as prime minister was his son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, the country’s energy minister. But such a brazen move was too much apparently even for Mr. Erdogan.Analysts and Turkish journalists have speculated that Mr. Erdogan’s first choice as prime minister was his son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, the country’s energy minister. But such a brazen move was too much apparently even for Mr. Erdogan.
Mustafa Akyol, a Turkish columnist who sometimes contributes to The New York Times, said of Mr. Albayrak, “He is a member of Erdogan’s inner circle and his first choice, but he is also too young, too new, too inexperienced.”Mustafa Akyol, a Turkish columnist who sometimes contributes to The New York Times, said of Mr. Albayrak, “He is a member of Erdogan’s inner circle and his first choice, but he is also too young, too new, too inexperienced.”
Mr. Yildirim, Mr. Akyol said, “seems to be a safe choice.”Mr. Yildirim, Mr. Akyol said, “seems to be a safe choice.”
“He is impeccably loyal and has a past as a successful transportation minister,” he said.
In 2013, Mr. Yildirim briefly stepped down as transport minister after facing allegations of corruption in a major high-speed rail line project that overlapped with a major corruption scandal involving members of Mr. Erdogan’s inner circle. Mr. Yildirim denied any wrongdoing and the case against him was eventually closed.In 2013, Mr. Yildirim briefly stepped down as transport minister after facing allegations of corruption in a major high-speed rail line project that overlapped with a major corruption scandal involving members of Mr. Erdogan’s inner circle. Mr. Yildirim denied any wrongdoing and the case against him was eventually closed.
Mr. Yildirim, a stalwart conservative, turned down a place at Turkey’s most prestigious university out of opposition to mixing genders.Mr. Yildirim, a stalwart conservative, turned down a place at Turkey’s most prestigious university out of opposition to mixing genders.
“I was taken aback by the sight of young people, girls and boys, sitting on the together on the lawn,” he told a class at the Istanbul Technical University in 2013. “I took a look and saw that it was a different world. I told myself that if I attend this school I would veer off the road.”“I was taken aback by the sight of young people, girls and boys, sitting on the together on the lawn,” he told a class at the Istanbul Technical University in 2013. “I took a look and saw that it was a different world. I told myself that if I attend this school I would veer off the road.”