Erdogan to return to party he co-founded on May 2

By Kemal Karadag and Zehra Aydin

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will return to the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on May 2, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Friday.

Following the passing of constitutional changes in the April 16 referendum, the president will be allowed to return to the party he co-founded.

“We will hold a group meeting at our party headquarters on May 2,” Yildirim said in the southern city of Antalya following Friday prayers. “The party membership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be reactivated at this meeting.”

Erdogan led the AK Party for 13 years from 2001 but had to step aside when he became president in August 2014. The referendum changed the law to allow a president to be a member of a political party.

Yildirim added that the AK Party would hold an extraordinary congress on May 21, when Erdogan is widely expected to replace Yildirim as party leader.

By Kemal Karadag and Zehra Aydin

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will return to the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on May 2, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Friday.

Following the passing of constitutional changes in the April 16 referendum, the president will be allowed to return to the party he co-founded.

Erdogan led the AK Party for 13 years from 2001 but had to step aside when he became president in August 2014. The referendum changed the law to allow a president to be a member of a political party.

Yildirim added that the AK Party would hold an extraordinary congress on May 21, when Erdogan is widely expected to replace Yildirim as party leader.