Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday he would host his second cabinet meeting as head of state on March 9, a further sign of his determination to keep a firm grip on power.
Erdogan is Turkey's first directly elected president and has repeatedly vowed to wield more power than his predecessors, prompting critics to accuse him of accruing power in what they say is a de facto presidential system.
Previous heads of state have only chaired cabinet meetings in times of crisis.
"I would like to inform you that I will convene the cabinet once again in the presidential palace on March 9," he said in a speech at the presidential palace in Ankara.
Erdogan hopes for a comprehensive victory for his AK Party in the June general election, possibly opening the way to constitutional reforms that could formally usher in a presidential system.
The announcement of his second cabinet meeting comes at an important time for Turkey's foreign policy. Last week it signed a deal with Washington to train and equip Syrian opposition fighters to tackle Islamic State.
Over the weekend, Turkish forces evacuated troops who had been guarding the tomb of a renowned Turkish figure inside Syria, after being surrounded by Islamic State militants for months.