The Justice and Development, or AK, Party nominated Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz for parliament speaker, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced Friday, according to Daily Sabah.

Ismet Yilmaz, 53, is an MP from the central province of Sivas.

Davutoglu said two names had stood out during the in-party consultations: Ismet Yilmaz and Education Minister Nabi Avci. He said he held separate talks with both.

"I presented my opinions to both of our colleagues, and then we decided on one name at our central executive board this morning," said the prime minister.

Yilmaz also served as an undersecretary at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism before he entered the Turkish parliament as an AK Party MP in the 2011 general election.