ANKARA – Turkey’s ruling AK Party proposed yesterday bringing forward a parliamentary election to June 24 to ease tensions after an increasingly bitter standoff between the Islamist-rooted government and the secular elite.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan called for an early election on Tuesday after losing a battle in Turkey’s highest court over a presidential election. The AK Party’s presidential candidate, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, is a former Islamist.”Bringing forward the general election will reduce uncertainty,” Bulent Arinc, a senior AK Party member and parliamentary speaker, told a news conference.”(The decision) will meet our people’s expectation for trust and stability.”His party has submitted a proposal to parliament for a general election to be brought forward to June 24 from November 4.The AK Party is expected to win a second term after five years of strong economic growth since it came to power in 2002.The AK Party will also propose the president is in future elected by voters and not by lawmakers, a party deputy said.A threat by the army, which regards itself as the guardian of Turkey’s secular system, to intervene in the presidential poll, an opposition boycott of the first round vote in parliament and a anti-government rally of up to one million people on Sunday sharply increased tensions in Turkey.The decision to bring the election forward could provide relief for financial markets which suffered their biggest fall in a year over the last two days on fears of instability.The political impasse has raised concerns about Turkey’s negotiations to join the European Union.It is also being closely followed in the United States, a key NATO ally.The opposition boycotted last week’s presidential vote and said there were not enough deputies in parliament to make the vote valid.Gul is the only presidential candidate.Nampa-ReutersThe AK Party’s presidential candidate, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, is a former Islamist.”Bringing forward the general election will reduce uncertainty,” Bulent Arinc, a senior AK Party member and parliamentary speaker, told a news conference.”(The decision) will meet our people’s expectation for trust and stability.”His party has submitted a proposal to parliament for a general election to be brought forward to June 24 from November 4.The AK Party is expected to win a second term after five years of strong economic growth since it came to power in 2002.The AK Party will also propose the president is in future elected by voters and not by lawmakers, a party deputy said.A threat by the army, which regards itself as the guardian of Turkey’s secular system, to intervene in the presidential poll, an opposition boycott of the first round vote in parliament and a anti-government rally of up to one million people on Sunday sharply increased tensions in Turkey.The decision to bring the election forward could provide relief for financial markets which suffered their biggest fall in a year over the last two days on fears of instability.The political impasse has raised concerns about Turkey’s negotiations to join the European Union.It is also being closely followed in the United States, a key NATO ally.The opposition boycotted last week’s presidential vote and said there were not enough deputies in parliament to make the vote valid.Gul is the only presidential candidate.Nampa-Reuters
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