REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ANKARA - Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in as Turkey's president on Thursday, cementing his position as its most powerful leader of recent times, in a step opponents fear heralds more authoritarian rule and widening religious influence in public life.

Reading the oath of office in a ceremony in parliament, Erdogan vowed to protect Turkey's independence and integrity, to abide by the constitution and by the principles of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern secular republic.

Erdogan, who had been prime minister since 2003, has consistently presented his time in office as a historic mission to transform Turkey domestically and as a regional power. Deputies of the main opposition CHP walked out shortly before Erdogan's oath. Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu boycotted the ceremony, arguing Erdogan breached the constitution by remaining premier for the weeks after his presidential victory.

"We're now more worried than ever about one-man, autocratic rule in Turkey," CHP deputy Aykan Erdemir told Reuters.

Around 200 protesters chanting slogans against Erdogan and carrying banners reading "Presidency cannot wash away corruption or theft" gathered later in Istanbul. Police fired teargas and water cannon to disperse the crowd.

Later on Thursday, Erdogan formally asked outgoing foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu to form a new government and be his prime minister. The cabinet lineup is expected on Friday.

Erdogan's victory in Turkey's first popular presidential election this month capped more than decade as prime minister in which the economy has tripled in dollar terms and the country has carved out a growing, though often controversial, role in the politics of the Middle East.

Senior representatives of some 90 states from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe attended ceremonies in the evening, including the emir of Qatar and Iran's foreign minister. There were no heads of major Western states, many of which have viewed Erdogan skeptically since a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations in June of last year.

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