“I, as President, swear on my honor and integrity before the great Turkish nation and history to defend the existence and independence of the state… in compliance with the constitution, the rule of law, democracy, principles…”, Mr. Erdogan said in a ceremony at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, broadcast live on television on Saturday.
President Tayyip Erdogan takes oath after re-election. Photo: AP
Türkiye's longest-serving leader, Erdogan, won 52.2% of the vote in a dramatic second round of elections on May 28. The new five-year term is expected to help Erdogan cement the country's position as a regional power.
Türkiye's new parliament convened on Friday and Mr Erdogan formally began his new term by taking the oath of office on Saturday before the assembly in Ankara.
This was followed by a ceremony at the Presidential Palace attended by senior officials from 78 countries and international organizations, including NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, according to state-run Anadolu news agency.
On Saturday evening local time, Mr. Erdogan will announce Türkiye's new cabinet, including new ministers.
Mr Erdogan became Prime Minister in 2003 after his AK Party won elections in late 2002. In 2014, he became Türkiye's first universally elected President and was re-elected in 2018.
In his victory speech, Mr Erdogan said inflation, which hit a 24-year high of 85% last year before easing, was Türkiye's most pressing problem.
Analysts have warned that if current policies continue, the Turkish economy will fall into chaos as foreign exchange reserves are depleted. The lira hit a new all-time low in the days after this year's election.
Huy Hoang (according to Al Jazeera, Reuters)
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