As it happened: Turkey’s ruling party elects Davutoğlu as new chair

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has elected Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu as its new chair during its extraordinary congress at the Ankara Arena Sports Hall. 

Outgoing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, elected president Aug. 10, announced moments before the convention that the new government will be formed Aug. 29. Davutoğlu, who is expected to form the new government on Aug. 28, was the only candidate to take over the party chair.

Hürriyet Daily News editor-in-chief Murat Yetkin, Ankara bureau chief Serkan Demirtaş and News Editor Özgür Korkmaz were in the congress hall.

Here are the live updates as they happened throughout the day:

17:53 - Davutoğlu concludes his speech with a joke in reference to the air conditioning failure in the hall: "Mr. President [Erdoğan] had called for a president and prime minister who work so hard that they sweat. Today, due to the heat, all of us sweated."

17:50 - "We are now targeting the 2015, 2019 and 2023 general elections. Our unity is a sign that we will get enough votes next year to change the Constitution," Davutoğlu said.

17:48 - Davutoğlu thanks delegates in his acceptance speech, stressing that he now shoulders a "heavy responsibility." He also voices gratitue for Erdoğan. "This is a first in Turkish political history as the ruling party has elected a new chair without any disagreement. We thank Mr. President," Davutoğlu added. He also stressed that presidential takeover ceremony scheduled for tomorrow would be another "first" in this regard.

17:34 - Davutoğlu has been elected as AKP's new chair with the votes of 1382 delegates. 1388 delegates voted in the congress. Six votes were...

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