Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is likely to return to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as its chairman after he is elected at an extraordinary convention on May 21 in line with constitutional amendments approved in an April 16 referendum.
According to the Hürriyet Daily News, the decision to stage the extraordinary convention will be taken by the AKP’s Central Decision and Administration Board (MKYK) next week.
Erdoğan signaled his return to the AKP as its leader during a meeting with children to mark April 23, National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, at the presidential palace on Sunday.
“These amendments now give me that right,” he said when a fourth grade student, Yiğit Türk, who symbolically replaced Erdoğan as president for the occasion, directed a question to him.
Turkey approved a constitutional package in a referendum on April 16 with 51.4 percent of the vote allowing Erdoğan to retain his links with the AKP and switching the country to an executive presidency.
Erdoğan is expected to apply to be registered with the party after the results of the referendum are officially announced