Turkish PM Resigns Creating Political Turmoil

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu resigned Thursday paving the way to turmoil of the country’s politics as well as for President Recep Tayyip Erdogen to consolidate power at such a time when there is regional as well as domestic crisis.

The prime minister said he would also bow out of the polls for leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Speaking to the media in a press conference he said he has never earlier had bargained or negotiated with anyone and he is now thinking over not to become a candidate for the elections scheduled to be held on May 22.

Erdogan had founded the AKP that has governed the country since 2002. He has served the office of PM since 2014.

His Thursday’s move is one another step to weaken the parliamentary system of the country. His relationship with the president has grown strained.

The PM and president disagreed in past over several issues including pretrial detention for dissidents and economic policy. Last week the AKP had also stripped Davutoglu of his power to appoint provincial-level party officials.

Director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington institute for Near East Policy, Soner Cagaptay, said with the resignation of the PM the president is now head of state as well as de-facto head of government and head of the AKP.