AK Party to hold extraordinary party congress on May 21

Turkey's ruling AK Party will name President Tayyip Erdoğan as a candidate for its leadership at an extraordinary congress on May 21, a senior AKP official said on Thursday.

In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Erdoğan said he would resume membership of the AK Party immediately after the final results are announced of an April 16 referendum on a presidential system in Turkey. But he said his position as party chairman would be decided by AK Party officials.

The constitutional changes passed in the referendum allow the president, who will assume executive powers, to retain party political ties. Under the terms of the outgoing constitution, the head of state was supposed to remain politically impartial.