Erdogan takes the constitutional oath as President of Turkey

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in as Turkey’s president on Saturday, officially inaugurating his new term after winning a second round of elections.

Erdogan vowed to “act without bias” and said: “As president, I swear to act with all the determination I can to protect the existence and independence of the state.. To fulfill my duty with neutrality”.
The inauguration in parliament is followed by a grand ceremony at his palace in the capital Ankara, attended by dozens of world leaders.

Erdogan won in the second round of elections held last Sunday, in front of a strong opposition coalition, despite an economic crisis and severe criticism following the devastating earthquake that claimed more than 50,000 lives.
Erdogan won 52.8% of the vote against his rival, opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu’s 47.82%.

Following his swearing-in, Erdogan will visit the mausoleum of the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and then head to the presidential compound to take part in the ceremony.

Once at the compound’s first gate, the Knights-Templar unit will join the president’s motorcade, firing 101 artillery rounds and launching 101 artillery rounds into the ground, air, and naval headquarters.

That will be followed by a ceremony at the presidential palace attended by high-ranking officials from 78 countries and international organizations, including NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
The Presidential Symphony Orchestra, the Turkish Traditional Music Ensemble and the Turkish Armed Forces Military Music Ensemble will participate in the ceremony. President Erdogan is expected to announce the new cabinet line-up after a scheduled dinner in honor of his guests.

Erdogan, Turkey’s longest-serving leader, won 52.2 percent of the vote in a run-off vote on May 28. The result went against the expectations of most opinion polls. He won despite a cost-of-living crisis that was thought to have weakened his chances.
In the evening, Erdogan is scheduled to announce the cabinet line-up.