Turkey announces major presidential appointments and dismissals

presidential appointments Official Gazette university rectors ambassador appointments public administration

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has signed a series of high-level appointment and dismissal decrees, which were published in the Official Gazette on August 18, 2026. The decisions impact various sectors including diplomacy, academia, and public administration.

In the diplomatic sphere, several ambassadors were appointed or recalled for countries including Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Moldova, Djibouti, Estonia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uruguay, Iran, and Botswana.

Academic leadership saw significant changes with the appointment of new rectors at ten universities, including Düzce, Erzincan Binali Yıldırım, Eskişehir Osmangazi, Gebze Technical, Bilkent, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, İzmir Katip Çelebi, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Sakarya, and Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit Universities. Additionally, Prof. Dr. Bayram Ali Ersoy was reappointed as the President of the Measuring, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM).

Other notable administrative changes include appointments within the Social Security Institution (SGK), the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), and the Ministry of Family and Social Services. The decrees also covered various positions within the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of National Education, and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.