Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's inauguration speech emphasized unity and solidarity, while trying to demonstrate Ankara's pivotal role in world politics .
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| President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is Türkiye's longest-serving leader. (Source: Reuters) |
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in on June 3 after winning 52.2% of the vote in the second round of elections on May 28. With the new term, the 69-year-old leader extended his two-decade rule for another five years.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at the Turkish Parliament in the capital Ankara, Mr. Erdogan declared: "I, as President, swear with honor and integrity before history and the great nation of Turkey to protect the existence and independence of the Fatherland," pledging to "abide by the Constitution, the rule of law, democracy, the principles and reforms of the late President Ataturk, and the principles of the republic."
He affirmed that “all 85 million people [in the country] will be welcomed regardless of political views, origin or sect”.
According to Professor Emre Erdogan, a lecturer in the Department of International Relations at Bilgi Istanbul University, the President's speech "repeatedly mentioned unity and solidarity, and he stressed the importance of forgetting the anger that voters felt during his election campaign".
The expert said it was important for the leader to “talk about a free and inclusive constitution” because “he has never spoken in this way before.”
President Erdogan also highlighted “Turkey’s role in the region as a peacemaker . He tried to show Turkey’s pivotal role in world politics.”
The inauguration ceremony was attended by at least 78 leaders and representatives of countries and international organizations. Among the international guests were NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Addressing the country's economic woes will be a top priority for President Erdogan, with inflation currently running at 43.7 percent, partly due to a policy of cutting interest rates to stimulate growth.
On the evening of June 3 (local time), Mr. Erdogan announced Türkiye's new cabinet, including new ministers.
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