Turkish PM promises to bring back ‘Ottoman order’

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has promised to bring the “order and justice” of the Ottoman Empire to today’s world in a speech marking the occasion of Eid al-Fitr this week, a local newspaper reported.

“God willing, we will bring the order and justice of the Ottomans to today and into tomorrow,” Hurriyet Daily News quoted Davutoglu as saying at his Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Istanbul headquarters.

Davutoglu’s remarks was in response to a group of AKP members, who started chanting “Ahmet Hoca [teacher], bring us to Ottoman [times].”

The premier was giving a speech about AKP’s political prospects after last month’s general election, in which his party lost its parliamentary majority, the first time since it came to power in 2002.

On Wednesday, Davutoglu wrapped up a first round of coalition talks, with only one party showing a clear interest in an alliance.