"I refused to retire, which I wanted to leave before the end of October this year, in response to insistent demands both inside the country and abroad in order not to create a political vacuum," RIA Novosti quoted him as saying. ...
In September, Sarraj announced that he plans to transfer his powers to a new executive body by the end of October.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed regret over Sarraj's plans to step down.