President Erdogan hails ‘start of the Turkish century’ as he begins new term

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, centre, visits the Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in Ankara, (Yavuz Ozden/AP)

Turkey’s longtime leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, took the oath of office, ushering in his third presidential term that followed three stints as prime minister.

Mr Erdogan, 69, won a new five-year term in a runoff presidential race last week that could stretch his 20-year rule in the key Nato country that straddles Europe and Asia into a quarter-century.