Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his brand new cabinet following his re-election in Turkey’s May 28 runoff vote, with only two ministers retaining their seats.
The head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Hakan Fidan has replaced Mevlut Cavusoglu as Foreign Minister, Erdogan said, while former economy chief Mehmet Simsek has become the new finance minister, in a much-anticipated decision.
Erdogan named Cevdet Yılmaz as the new vice president, who would replace Fuat Oktay. He has not named any others in the position and will work with a single vice president.
Yılmaz Tunc has replaced Bekir Bozdag as justice minister, while Chief of Staff Gen. Yasar Guler replaced Hulusi Akar as Defense Minister.
Mahinur Ozdemir, who served as Turkey’s Ambassador to Algeria, was named as the country’s new Family and Social Policies Minister, replacing Derya Yanık.
Meanwhile, Ali Yerlikaya, who served as the Governor of Istanbul for five years, has become the new Interior Minister, replacing Süleyman Soylu.
Vedat Isıkhan has become the new Labor and Social Security Minister, Mehmet Ozhaseki became the Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister, and Alparslan Bayraktar became the Energy and Natural Resources Minister.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy retained their seats as ministers.
Here is a list of other ministers in the cabinet:
Youth and Sports Minister: Osman Askın Bak
National Education Minister: Yusuf Tekin
Industry and Technology Minister: Mehmet Fatih Kacir
Agriculture and Forestry Minister: Ibrahim Yumaklı
Trade Minister: Ömer Bolat
Transport and Infrastructure Minister: Abdulkadir Uraloglu
Earlier on Saturday, the president said the cabinet would hold its first meeting on Tuesday.
Erdogan was sworn in as the president and started his third and last term in Office.
In his victory speech late Sunday, Erdogan vowed to set up reputable finance management, as he termed inflation Turkey’s most urgent issue after the vote.
Markets are trying to gauge whether the reelected president will change course or double down on policies centered around cheaper borrowing costs to combat rising prices and stimulate economic growth.
Erdogan has given little indication of any U-turn in the coming weeks and months, having repeatedly stressed that he would remain committed to his low interest-rate economic blueprint.
Erdogan sworn in as 12th president
President Recep Tayyip Erdagan was sworn in on Saturday as Turkey’s 12th ruling president with an oath-taking ceremony at the Turkish Parliament.
Following the sworn-in ceremony at the parliament, Erdogan went to visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic.
Later, the presidential complex hosted an inauguration ceremony, which was attended by high-level officials from 78 countries, including 21 heads of state, 13 prime ministers, parliamentary and ministerial-level officials, and representatives of international organizations, including NATO, the Organization of Turkic States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian are among the participants.
Erdogan hosted his guests at a dinner in Cankaya Palace.
The Turkish president announced the new Cabinet later on Saturday.
Turkey went to the polls on May 28 for a presidential runoff after no candidate secured more than 50% of the vote needed for an outright victory in the first round on May 14.
Erdoğan won the race with 52.18% of the vote, while opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu received 47.82%, according to official results.
