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Turkey’s Gul Forced to Wait for Presidency | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Abdullah Gul casts his vote at the Parliament (EPA)


Abdullah Gul casts his vote at the Parliament (EPA)

Abdullah Gul casts his vote at the Parliament (EPA)

ANKARA (AFP) – Abdullah Gul failed to secure election as Turkey’s next president in a second round of voting in parliament Friday, but he is virtually guaranteed victory in a third and final ballot next week.

Gul, the foreign minister whose Islamist past is treated with deep suspicion by the army and secular establishment, garnered 337 votes from the 550-seat house, 30 short of the two-thirds majority needed. He had failed by a similar margin in the first round vote on Monday.

The other two candidates, Sabahattin Cakmakoglu from the right-wing Nationalist Action Party and Tayfun Icli from the centre-left Democratic Left Party, won 71 and 14 votes respectively.

Gul is poised for certain victory in the third round next Tuesday when a simple majority of 276 will suffice. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), to which he belongs, commands 340 parliamentary seats.

“You will just have to wait a little longer until Tuesday,” a confident Gul told reporters after the voting.

AKP lawmakers even congratulated Gul and shook his hand as they cast their votes on Friday, in expectation of next week’s victory.

Gul first ran for the presidency in April, triggering a political crisis and snap general elections.

At that time, his bid was blocked by a boycott by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) that denied parliament the quorum needed to vote.

The CHP, which argues that Gul’s presidency would undermine Turkey’s fiercely-guarded secular system, also boycotted Friday’s ballot, but the participation of other opposition parties secured the quorum.

The April crisis climaxed when the army warned it stood ready to step in and defend the secular system and millions took to the streets to protest against the prospect of an AKP president.

The AKP responded by calling early elections on July 22 in which the party won a huge majority that it hailed as a popular mandate to re-nominate Gul.

Opponents say that with Gul’s presidency, the AKP, the moderate offshoot of a now-banned Islamist movement, would complete the seizure of all top state offices and get a free hand to erode the separation of state and religion.

Turkey’s president is a largely ceremonial figure, but has the authority to name senior bureaucrats and judges and to return legislation to parliament.

Hardline secularists are also irritated by the fact that Gul’s wife wears the Islamic headscarf, which they see as a symbol of defiance of the secular system.

“The AKP thinks it has won, taking strength form its parliamentary majority, but we fear the regime and democracy will lose from their insistence” on Gul, Icli told reporters.

The AKP has disowned its Islamist roots, pledged commitment to secularism and conducted far-reaching reforms that stabilised the economy and ensured the start of Turkey’s EU membership talks.

Gul has repeatedly pledged to stay loyal to the secular system and be impartial if elected.

But his presidency is unlikely to get an easy start.

“We have already said that we will keep contact with Gul at a minimum if he is elected … There is also no reason for us to attend his swearing-in ceremony in parliament,” CHP deputy chairman Mustafa Ozyurek said.

Ten years ago, the army forced the resignation of Turkey’s first Islamist-led government of which Gul was a member.

It has so far remained silent about his re-nomination for the presidency.

Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (R) stands next to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in front of his office as Sezer makes a farewell visit in Ankara (AFP)

Turkey’s President Ahmet Necdet Sezer (R) stands next to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in front of his office as Sezer makes a farewell visit in Ankara (AFP)

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukan‎t talk during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara (EPA)

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukan‎t talk during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara (EPA)