Erdogan takes presidential oath of the office

Recep Tayyip Erdogan becomes the first president of Turkey’s new governmental system.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken the presidential oath of office to become the Republic of Turkey’s first president under its new governmental system.

Erdogan took the oath on Monday in the capital Ankara, at the Grand National Assembly, chaired by Acting Parliament Speaker Durmus Yilmaz.

Erdogan’s re-election at the June 24 polls marked Turkey’s transition to an executive presidential system of government, doing away with the prime minister’s post, among other changes.

Erdogan won an absolute majority in the presidential election with 52.5 per cent of the vote, according to Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK).

Speaking to journalists after the ceremony, Erdogan said: “Everything was good in front of the nation; I hope it will be better in the future.”

Lawmakers from the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) stood up, as is customary, during Erdogan’s swearing-in, while opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Good (IYI) Party lawmakers did not.

Also, CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu did not attend the ceremony.

Erdogan is due to announce his new Cabinet under Turkey’s presidential system at 9.30 p.m. (GMT1830).