Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutogluhas been chosen as Turkey’s prime minister.Umit Bektas/Reuters
Turkey's ruling party has picked Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to replace president-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan as its new chairman and prime minister.
Erdogan announced Davutoglu's nomination on Thursday following a meeting of the senior leaders of his ruling Justice and Development Party.
Davutoglu, a loyal party official, was long reported to be Erdogan's top choice to replace him. Erdogan has indicated he intends to keep his grip on government by making use of the largely ceremonial presidency's seldom-used powers such as calling and presiding over Cabinet meetings.
Davutoglu, 55, has steered Turkey's foreign policy as foreign minister since 2009 and as Erdogan's adviser before that.