Turkey holds new presidency vote

Voting starts in the newly-elected Turkish parliament on Monday to choose the country's next president.

Izvor: BBC

Monday, 20.08.2007.

10:14

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Voting starts in the newly-elected Turkish parliament on Monday to choose the country's next president. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is standing again, challenged by a nationalist and a left-wing candidate. Turkey holds new presidency vote Gul's first bid to become president was blocked in April amid claims that he was a threat to the secular system. The crisis forced an early election which Gul's AK Party won with a landslide. He is expected to win by the third round of voting later this month. Gul—who once belonged to a pro-Islamic party—says his views have changed and that he is loyal to the country's secular constitution. In April, Turkey's main opposition party boycotted the presidential vote, labelling Gul a threat to the secular system. Protesters took to the streets and the military warned it was ready to step in. But since then, Abdullah Gul's AK Party has been returned to parliament—and power—with 46 percent of the vote. He calls that proof that most Turks do not believe he has an Islamic agenda and he has vowed time and again to remain loyal to Turkey's secular constitution if elected. Gul is widely expected to become president by the third round later this month, when a candidate only needs to secure a simple majority of votes—which the AKP has—but that could herald tense times ahead. The military will be watching for his slightest slip, and there is already furious debate surrounding Gul's wife who wears a headscarf. It is seen by some as a symbol of political Islam and is banned in all state institutions here, including the presidential palace.

Turkey holds new presidency vote

Gul's first bid to become president was blocked in April amid claims that he was a threat to the secular system.

The crisis forced an early election which Gul's AK Party won with a landslide. He is expected to win by the third round of voting later this month.

Gul—who once belonged to a pro-Islamic party—says his views have changed and that he is loyal to the country's secular constitution.

In April, Turkey's main opposition party boycotted the presidential vote, labelling Gul a threat to the secular system.

Protesters took to the streets and the military warned it was ready to step in.

But since then, Abdullah Gul's AK Party has been returned to parliament—and power—with 46 percent of the vote.

He calls that proof that most Turks do not believe he has an Islamic agenda and he has vowed time and again to remain loyal to Turkey's secular constitution if elected.

Gul is widely expected to become president by the third round later this month, when a candidate only needs to secure a simple majority of votes—which the AKP has—but that could herald tense times ahead.

The military will be watching for his slightest slip, and there is already furious debate surrounding Gul's wife who wears a headscarf.

It is seen by some as a symbol of political Islam and is banned in all state institutions here, including the presidential palace.

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