Supporters of the ruling AK Party hold national and party flags as they stand in front of a banner showing Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister and AK Party Leader Ahmet Davutoglu (L) together during an election rally in the central Anatolian city of Konya, Turkey, October 30, 2015. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's ruling AK Party has taken authority to appoint provincial party officials away from Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in a move seen reducing his power over grass roots supporters and consolidating the influence of President Tayyip Erdogan.
The step, decided on Friday at a meeting of the AKP's top executive committee, is one of the clearest signs yet of tensions between Erdogan, who wants an executive presidency in Turkey, and Davutoglu, who would be sidelined if the country's parliamentary system were to be replaced.
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