Ex-Islamist Numan Kurtulmus named Turkey's ruling party’s deputy leader

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey's ruling AK Party named former Islamist Numan Kurtulmus as a deputy party leader responsible for the economy on Thursday, October 4 in a sign the party was seeking to woo more conservative voters, Reuters said.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's party, in power for more than a decade, also gave roles to other senior figures from smaller rival parties in its administration as part of the overhaul, an effort to consolidate its support base for the coming electoral cycle.

Kurtulmus, head of the recently dissolved Islamist-rooted HAS Party, and Suleyman Soylu, onetime leader of the conservative Democratic Party, were both rewarded with senior administrative roles. Soylu was named chief of research and development.

The AK Party's 50-seat Central Decision and Executive Council was selected on Sunday at the party's congress and the main executive body of the party - the 19-member Central Executive Board - was chosen by Erdogan on Thursday.

Mehmet Ali Sahin, Mustafa Sentop and Menderes Turel were also appointed to deputy leader positions in the party.