Ahmet Davutoglu expected to resign after what is reported as a falling out with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is about to be replaced, reports have said, after talks aimed at easing tensions between the premier and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed.
Davutoglu, who is also the leader of the ruling AK Party, will hold a news conference early on Thursday after a gathering of the party’s central executive committee, the official Anatolia news agency said.
No official statement has been released but after a 90-minute crisis meeting on Wednesday that local media described as critical for Davutoglu’s future, domestic news organisations CNN-Turk and NTV reported that an extraordinary congress would be held later this month, which could signal his exit.
Such a meeting would allow for the election of a new party head.
According to AKP convention, the posts of party boss and head of government always go to the same person.
Davutoglu had carved out his own strong profile, but tension had reportedly been growing between the men for months.
The premier championed a deal with the EU to stem the flow of refugees, while the president has shown less interest in the accord. He has also clashed with Erdogan over whether journalists should be held in pre-trial detention.
A decision last week by the executive committee of the AKP to remove Davutoglu’s right to appoint regional party officials was also seen by analysts as a severe blow to his authority.
Potential successors include Transport Minister Binali Yildirim and the youthful Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, 38, who is married to the president’s eldest daughter, Esra.
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