ANKARA: Turkey's ruling party meets on Thursday to choose a new leader and premier to succeed incoming president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu the overwhelming favourite for the job.
The executive committee of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) will meet in Ankara at 1100 GMT to agree a successor for Erdogan, who has transformed Turkey since first becoming prime minister in 2003.
The press has been abuzz for days with reports that Davutoglu was favoured for promotion and outgoing President Abdullah Gul, in comments Tuesday, appeared to leave the issue in no doubt.
"As far I understand, Ahmet Davutoglu will be the next head of government," Gul told the media at his last reception at the presidential palace in Ankara.
"We must all help him with his task," he said.
Gul himself had been seen as a candidate for the job but commentators believe that the AKP has deliberately timed the succession process to take place before he leaves office so he cannot take part.
The outgoing president was a co-founder of the AKP with Erdogan but strains have become more apparent between the two men, with Gul taking a more moderate line than the combative premier.
The extent of his bitterness was hinted at on Tuesday by his wife Hayrunnisa who complained her husband had been the victim of "many falsehoods and a great deal of disrespect".
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