Cavusoglu Named Foreign Minister in New Gov't of Turkey
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday announced his new government after Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the presidency, with former Europe minister Mevlut Cavusoglu promoted to foreign minister.
The new cabinet contained only a few significant changes from the government led by Erdogan as prime minister, with key economic figures Ali Babacan and Mehmet Simsek keeping their respective posts as deputy prime minister and finance minister, AFP reported.
Erdogan, who had been prime minister since 2003, was sworn in as president on Thursday, cementing his position as Turkey's most powerful leader of recent times, in a step opponents fear heralds more authoritarian rule.
"The doors of Great Turkey have been opened," the main headline in the newspaper Sabah said on Friday, praising the transfer of power along with other pro-government newspapers.
But Sozcu a newspaper fiercely critical of Erdogan, declared "He made an oath he won't keep," referring to his pledge in parliament to remain bound to the secular principles of the modern republic's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Erdogan's opponents warn that his roots in Islamist politics mean his move to the presidency will bring widening religious influence in public life.
Victory in Turkey's first popular presidential election this month gave a him a fresh mandate to push on with what he sees as a historic mission to transform Turkey domestically and as a regional power.
