In a decree published on the country’s official gazette at midnight, Erdogan replaced Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and Environment and Urbanization Minister Mehmet Ozhaseki.
Ozhaseki announced on X late on Monday that he resigned from the position due to health problems.
“Today, I have expressed to our president my wish to voluntarily step down from this esteemed position due to my health issues,” Ozhaseki said.
Erdogan appointed former Environment Minister Murat Kurum to replace Ozhaseki. Kurum was also the Turkish president’s pick in the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) failed bid to reclaim the mayoralty of Istanbul from the opposition in the country’s local elections in March.
Health Minister Koca was replaced by Istanbul province’s health chief, Kemal Memisoglu.
Koca, who served as health minister since 2018, and led the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, resigned at a time criticisms are on the rise regarding Turkey’s public and private health sector.
The move to replace the ministers marks the first government reshuffle since AKP’s defeat in the local polls, in which it lost the nationwide majority to the opposition’s Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Following the defeat, Erdogan vowed to replace some names in the cabinet during the first closed-door party meeting.
The Turkish government is scheduled to hold its weekly meeting on Tuesday with the newly appointed ministers in attendance.
