Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has officially announced Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as its presidential candidate to enter into Turkey’s first democratic presidential election on August 10.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has officially announced Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as its presidential candidate to enter into Turkey's first democratic presidential election on August 10.

Ruling AK Party Deputy Chairman Mehmet Ali Sahin announced the prime minister's widely expected candidacy in the August presidential election to loud applause from party members at a meeting in the capital Ankara.

"Normally it is necessary to have at least 20 signatures for a presidential candidate. We got the signatures of all party MPs," Sahin told the crowd, before screening of a film portraying Erdogan in his youth and throughout his political career.

The two main opposition parties - the center-left Republican People's Party (CHP) and the right-wing National Movement Party (MHP) - have already announced former Organization of Islamic Cooperation chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu as their joint candidate.

The pro-Kurdish Freedom and Democracy Party announced Selahattin Demirtas to represent them in the elections.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will enter the presidential race as the favorite, as opinion polls have already suggested.

Current president Abdullah Gul yesterday confirmed that he would not run for a second term.