DAR AL ISLAM - TURKEY: A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS & ABDULLAH GUL'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT

Islamist candidate pulls out of Turkey presidential race

Abdullah Gul, the Turkish Foreign Minister, dramatically withdrew from his country’s presidential election race today, in a further twist to the constitutional crisis that has split the country.

Mr Gul, the only candidate in the race, who has faced opposition from secularists and the military who are alarmed at the prospect of an Islamist head of state, said that he was pulling out after his AK Party failed to secure a quorum in parliament.

“After this ... my candidacy is out of the question,” Mr Gul said. The ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party failed to obtain the presence of 367 members of parliament to be able to hold a vote on whether to elect Gul as president. He was the only candidate standing.

A first round vote was annulled last week by the Constitutional Court, which ruled that two-thirds of parliament, or 367 members, had to be present for it to be valid. The court’s decision came in response to an opposition party appeal.

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I wonder what Erdogan and his party will try next to accomplish Turkey's De-Ataturk-ization...

Hmmmm...


Pertinent Links:

1) Islamist candidate pulls out of Turkey presidential race