PM Announces Cabinet Reshuffle

In a press briefing yesterday evening (1 May), Erdoğan told the media about changes in the cabinet.

Ankara

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told media in Ankara about shuffles and new names in the cabinet in a press briefing in the evening of 1 May.

He said, “I had a meeting with the honourable President about the changes, and a short while ago I presented him with the list.”

He added that the changes should not be interpreted as punishments for mistakes made.

“I believe they will do other duties they will be given with the same enthusiasm.”

The new cabinet is made up of:

State Minister and Deputy PM: Cemil Çiçek (remains)
State Minister and Deputy PM: Bülent Arınç (former Parliament Speaker, new in the cabinet)
State Minister responsible for the Economy and Deputy PM: Ali Babacan (until now Minister of Foreign Affairs)
Minister of Defence: Vecdi Gönül (remains)
Minister of the Interior: Beşir Atalay (remains)
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Ahmet Davutoğlu (not an MP, but an ambassador and Chief Prime Ministerial Advisor in Foreign Affairs until this appointment. He replaces Babacan.)
Minister of Finance: Mehmet Şimşek (previously Minister of State responsible for the Economy, replaces Kemal Unakıtan)
Minister of Justice: Sadullah Ergin (MP for Hatay, replaces Mehmet Ali Şahin)
Minister of Education: Nimet Çubukçu (previously Minister of State responsible for Family and Women,replaces Hüseyin Çelik)
Minister of Public Works and Settlement: Mustafa Demir (MP for Samsun)
Health Minister: Recep Akdağ (remains)
Minister of Transport: Binali Yıldırım (remains)
Minister of Agriculture and Village Affairs. Mehmet Mehdi Eker (remains)
Minister of Labour and Social Security: Ömer Dinçer (MP for Istanbul, replaces Faruk Çelik)
Minister for Industry and Trade: Nihat Ergün (MP for Kocaeli)
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources: Taner Yıldız (MP for Kayseri)
Minister of Culture and Tourism: Ertuğrul Günay (remains)
Minister for the Environment and Forests: Veysel Eroğlu (remains)
State Ministers: Egemen Bağış (full time EU negotiator), Hayati Yazıcı, Mehmet Aydın, Faruk Nafiz Özak, Mehmet Zafer Çağlayan, Faruk Çelik, Cevdet Yılmaz (MP for Bingöl), Selma Aliye Kavaf (MP for Denizli).

Several people have been taken out of cabinet, most strikingly former Minister of Education Hüseyin Çelik, former Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Şahin and former Minister of Finance Kemal Unakıtan. The latter has suffered health problems.

Also left out are Hilmi Güler (former Minister of Energy and National Resources), Murat Başesgioğlu (Minister of State), Said Yazıcıoğlu (Minister of State), Kürşad Tüzmen (Minister of State) and Nazım Erken (Deputy PM).

There are now 26 people in cabinet in addition to Prime Minister Erdoğan. Also notable is the addition of a second female minister, Kavaf, who joins Çubukçu. (AG)

* This news item was based on Ntvmsnbc.