Ahmet Davutoğlu, Turkey’s outgoing prime minister who was dismissed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday evening, was in a meek mood on Thursday morning as he told party MPs that he would be going.
“I have been leading you from the front, but now I am among you,” he told them, indicating that though he had been forced “by necessity” to step down, he would remain loyal to the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) and President Erdoğan.
Davutoğlu’s ultra-moderate stance may have been a surprise but his listeners already knew of his departure because the news had been leaked by the Erdoğan camp to world news agencies on Wednesday evening, despite Davutoğlu’s initial attempt after the meeting with the president to keep a dignified silence.
