/ world today news/ Re-elected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in on June 3 at an inauguration ceremony attended by senior political figures from 81 countries. The Russian Federation was represented at the ceremony by the Speaker of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin.
During Erdogan’s speech, leaders of Turkish religious communities, including Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and sports celebrities took to the stage.
In his inauguration speech, the Turkish president emphasized the importance of unity and brotherhood among the citizens of Turkey.
Erdogan did not fail to condemn the Western countries, which on the eve of the elections called him an autocrat and a dictator. He called these accusations baseless, stressing that in these countries the authorities cannot ensure the turnout of even half of their citizens in the elections.
The president emphasized his determination to strengthen democracy in Turkey, promising to begin work on a new civilian constitution. The country now has a constitution completely rewritten by the generals after the military coup in the early 1980s.
Erdogan also said he would follow Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s principle: “Peace in the country, peace in the world.” This suggests that Ankara may adjust its foreign policy and will seek peaceful and diplomatic solutions in the region.
The opening speech declared the desire to create a new Turkey that would actively work to solve global problems, ensure regional security and protect the rights of the Turkic and Muslim world.
The Turkish leader emphasized that his strategy includes the fight for his own economic interests, the fight against terrorism both inside and outside the country, and the implementation of the Blue Homeland concept. The essence of this concept is Turkey’s desire to expand its influence and assert its rights in the Aegean Sea and the entire Eastern Mediterranean.
We remind you that Erdogan won the second round of the presidential elections with 52.18% of the votes. His People’s Coalition, which includes the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and three other allies, also won a 49.5% majority in parliament.
The cabinet has been dismissed
A few hours after taking office, the Turkish president announced the composition of the new cabinet of ministers. Only two of its members – the Minister of Health and the Minister of Tourism – retained their posts. Of all the former members of the cabinet, only they did not run for parliament. The remaining former heads of departments will continue to work in the Turkish parliament as members of the ruling AKP party.
If you look at the new names in the cabinet in general, you will notice that some positions were transferred to former deputy ministers. This pattern can be observed in the ministries of energy, agriculture and technology. According to Turkish political scientists, this speaks of the ability to prepare successors in the departments and is a good signal.
However, the departure of several cabinet members was surprising. Few expected the resignations of Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.
And if the change of the first two politicians caused only surprise, the absence of Suleiman Soylu in the Cabinet of Ministers gave rise to many rumors and disputes about the reasons for such a departure. Two years ago, he was promised a place in the country’s leadership. The active fight against terrorism and frequent public appearances have always put his charismatic figure in the spotlight.
However, in 2021, fugitive crime boss Sedat Peker released a series of video messages discrediting the minister, talking about his ties to the media, big business and criminals. The accusations against Soylu were discussed for a long time in the country and significantly affected the authority of the official. It is important to understand that in Turkey the chair of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has a huge weight. The figure who occupies it is practically the second most influential after the president. Soylu held this post for seven years.
A real surprise was the appointment of Hakan Fidan, former head of the National Intelligence Organization, as foreign minister. He has been cited as a key figure in the conflict between Erdogan and the religious figure Fethullah Gulen. Back in 2012, Erdogan called Fidan “the keeper of his secrets” and strongly opposed the actions of the prosecutor’s office, which called him in for questioning.
In 2015, Fidan wanted to step down as head of intelligence and run on the lists of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). However, Erdogan criticized this initiative: he needed a loyal ally in intelligence.
According to some experts, Erdogan awarded Hakan Fidan with the post of foreign minister for the active role and successes of Turkish intelligence in regional processes from Libya to Syria, from Ukraine to the Caucasus.
The Turkish press predicts that instead of Fidan, the intelligence will be led by Erdogan’s official representative Ibrahim Kalen, who is called “the master of intellectual chess” in the West. There is no doubt about this appointment, despite the fact that no official statements have been released yet.
Erdogan once said that Kalin was the only person who could speak for him. The politician received a master’s degree and defended a doctoral dissertation in humanities from George Washington University in the United States. In his academic research, he focuses on the relations of Islamic countries with the West and global politics.
Among other things, Kallen also served as the chairman of the Strategy and Cooperation Department, which was established in 2017. This organization was created to define Turkey’s strategic goals, develop policies and strengthen international cooperation.
The transfer of the post of Minister of Defense to the former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Turkey Yasar Güler can also be attributed to the category of surprises.
Meanwhile, the appointment of Mehmet Şimşek as Minister of Finance was expected and received particularly warmly not only in Turkey but also abroad. Some political analysts and journalists believe that in this way the Turkish president has hinted to both the bureaucracy and the markets about a change in the economic course.
Simsek served as a strategic analyst at Merrill Lynch, a major US investment bank. He previously headed the Treasury Department and left the post in 2018 amid disagreements with the president, who pushed for interest rate cuts amid rising inflation.
The state of the Turkish economy is the most important issue that the country’s president has outlined and that citizens have been talking about in recent years. Last year inflation in Turkey reached 85%, now it is 45%. Experts believe that the head of state will abandon low interest rates, but the increase will be a gradual process.
Translation: ES
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