Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the oath of office for a new five-year presidential term on Saturday after winning re-election last Sunday.
“I, as president, swear upon my honour and integrity before the great Turkish nation and history to safeguard the existence and independence of the state,” Erdogan said during a ceremony at the parliament in Ankara, which was broadcast live.
Erdogan received his mandate from the interim parliament speaker before taking the oath.
Turkiye’s longest-serving leader, Erdogan won 52.2 percent support in a May 28 runoff vote.
The 69-year-old leader will later in the day name his cabinet, which will be tasked with handling an economic crisis that has witnessed runaway inflation and the collapse of the lira.
Saturday’s inauguration in parliament will be followed by a lavish ceremony at the presidential palace in the capital Ankara attended by dozens of world leaders.
Turkiye’s transformative but divisive leader won the May 28 run-off against a powerful opposition coalition, and despite an economic crisis and severe criticism following a devastating February earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people.
Source: Qatar News Agency