AK Party parliamentary group elects PM Yıldırım as new chairman

Following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's return as chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Prime Minister Yıldırım has been unanimously voted as parliamentary group chairman during a closed parliamentary group meeting on Wednesday.

Erdoğan's return to the party became possible through changes approved in constitutional reform referendum on April 16, which allows a president to retain affiliation with a political party.

Since Erdoğan represents the executive branch, former chairman Yıldırım assumed the role of parliamentary group chairman, who leads the lawmakers in the legislative branch.