Turkish PM Davotoglu resigns amid conflict with Erdogan

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced his resignation, amid reports of a rift with president Recep Tayyip Erdoganover his plans to move the country to a presidential system of government

The resignation, rumoured for several days amid deteriorating relations between the two leaders, paves the way for Erdogan to appoint a more loyalist AK Party member as Davutoglu’s successor, a move dubbed a “palace coup” by critics and opposition politicians.

In a speech at the AKP party’s headquarters in Ankara, Davutoglu said that he would resign after an extraordinary party meeting on 22 May and would not run for office again.

“After consultations with the president I decided that it would be more appropriate for the unity of the AKP to change the chairman,” he said. “I have no sense of failure or regret in taking that decision. " I feel no reproach, anger or resentment against anyone. No-one heard, or will ever hear, a single word from my mouth, from my tongue or my mind against our president.”

He added that he would “continue his mission” as a party legislator.

Earlier on Thursday, presidential aide Cemil Ertem said there would be no snap elections following the appointment of a new leader.

He also told Turkish TV that the country and its economy would stabilise further "when a prime minister more closely aligned with President Erdogan takes office".

Main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said Davutoglu had been forced from office through the "will of one person".

"Davutoglu's resignation should not be perceived as an internal party issue, all democracy supporters must resist this palace coup," he said.