Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has been tipped to take over as chairman of the country’s ruling AK Party by outgoing president Abdullah Gul.

Davutoglu will then become the next prime minister.

Turkey’s current AKP chairman Reccep Tayyip Erdogan steps down on August 28 when he is inaugurated as Turkey’s first directly elected president.

Speculation has been growing that Davutoglu was being groomed as Erdogan’s replacement.

He was sent to thank AKP voters for supporting Erdogan’s successful election bid – a move seen as a sign of impending promotion, according to analysts.