Turkey government wins vote of confidence

ANKARA

The government of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu won a vote of confidence in Parliament on Sept. 6, little over a week after the former chief diplomat was crowned to take over from long-time premier Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Turkey's 62nd Cabinet, formed by Davutoğlu, received backing from 306 MPs with 133 voting against in the 550-seat Parliament where the ruling AKP has 312 seats.

Parliament Speaker and Deputy Speaker, who are both AKP MPs, were not eligible to vote. The other four AKP deputies who didn't vote Sept. 6 had earlier reported their personal excuses to the party administration.

"With the support we received, we promise before our esteemed parliament and people to work day and night," Davutoğlu told Parliament.

He said his government was keen to realize the 2023 targets to build a "new Turkey" based on a new constitution, peace with Kurds and a booming economy. 

Davutoğlu, the former foreign minister, had reaffirmed ambitious goals to make Turkey a top 10 global economy and member of the EU by 2023 as he presented the programme of his new government on Sept. 1.

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had approved Davutoğlu as successor to Erdoğan last week.
   
Parliament will convene Sept. 8 for the approval of the remaining articles of a 150-article 'bag of bills' -- the majority of which were passed in August -- and includes mining legislation tabled after May's Soma disaster that killed 301 workers in Turkey's southwest.