His announcement came after a meeting with the left-wing politician Deniz Baykal.

Mr Baykal's Republican Peoples Party has backed Mr Yilmaz's minority coalition since it came to power last June in return for assurances that early elections would be held.

Mr Yilmaz said that following his resignation an interim government would lead the country to polls at which voters would elect both national and local government representatives.

"Although a definite date is not certain, April 18 looks likely," he said.