The third and final round of presidential elections is taking place on Tuesday in the Turkish parliament, the winner of which will almost definitely be the country’s foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, who is the candidate of the ruling, Islamic-rooted AK (Justice and Development) Party.
Although the AKP enjoys a majority in parliament, it could not muster the two-thirds majority required in the first two rounds of voting. In the third round only a simple majority is needed.
The controversy surrounding Gul’s election is based on the conflict between secularism and Islam, which has raged in modern Turkey since its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, imposed secularism on the new republic.
The likely election of Gul, himself a devout Muslim with a wife who wears a traditional headscarf, has raised concern among Turkey’s secular elites and in the military that the AKP will push for a more religiously oriented policy. They argue that it will be much easier to do so when the party controls both the presidency and the parliament
Prior to the elections for parliament in July 2007, nationwide protests were held against Gul. Proposals have also been put forward to change the procedure for electing the president from a vote in parliament to a nationwide poll.
The Turkish military, which sees itself as the guardian of Ataturk’s secular legacy, has on two recent occasions warned this must now be under threat.
"Unfortunately, every day in different ways appear furtive plans, which aim to undo the modern advances and ruin the Turkish republic’s secular and democratic structure," the Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit told the local media.
In the past 60 years the army has overthrown an elected government on four occasions.