ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will almost certainly be announced next week as the ruling party's candidate for August's presidential election, deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc said on Wednesday.
It will be the first time Turk voted directly fortheir president. Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics formore than a decade, has made little secret of his ambition tostand for what he has said will be a stronger presidency."We pretty much know who our presidential candidate will be ... Barring any obstacles, on July 1, the nomination of our prime minister will most likely be announced," Arinc told Turkish media, in comments confirmed by his office.