Turkey's Erdogan Says New Cabinet to Be Announced on Friday

Erdogan was speaking outside a congress meeting of the ruling AKP in Ankara, where tens of thousands of people had thronged to hear his final address as party leader after more than a decade at the helm, before he ascends to the presidency.

"God willing, we will give Davutoglu the mandate to form the government tomorrow, and the new cabinet will be announced on Friday," Erdogan told a crowd of his ruling AK Party supporters before entering the meeting hall.

The AK Party was set to elect current Foreign Minister Davutoglu as its leader at the congress in an Ankara sports hall later in the day, and Erdogan will appoint him prime minister on Thursday after his inauguration, Reuters reported.

AKP members waved Turkish and party flags and cheered as Erdogan arrived at the hall. He greeted them and threw red carnations to the crowd as a song dedicated to him boomed out around the arena.

The heavily choreographed event - complete with films recounting Erdogan's political career - demonstrated the slick party machinery that has helped the AK Party dominate Turkish politics since it first came to power in 2002.

Erdogan will cement his position as modern Turkey's most powerful leader when he is sworn in as president, enabling him to complete a transformation of the country which critics fear will deepen divisions in society.

He has made it clear he wants his party to remain loyal and unified after he hands over the reins as required by the constitution, particularly with parliamentary elections due next year.

Davutoglu's role will be to continue many of Erdogan's policies, including the Kurdish peace process and the fight against the so-called "parallel structure," whilst delivering electoral success, according to Hatem Ete, director of the Ankara based think-tank, SETA.

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