All about Abdullah Gul

After protests from the opposition, the people and the military, Turkey’s prime minister has called for early elections, advancing the date by four months to July 22, in a bid to defuse the current political crisis. Devyani Onial on what’s at stake

• What triggered the crisis?

It all started when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan picked his Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as a presidential candidate. The Turkish parliament, which chooses the president in four votes, held its first vote on April 27 and chose Gul. The opposition boycotted the vote and went to court to overturn the verdict, arguing that the quorum of two-thirds of the country’s 550 MPs was not present while voting. The court accepted the argument. The protests had already spilled over on the streets. Nearly a million secularist Turks gathered in Istanbul on April 29 to protest against the government, the second such protest in a fortnight.

• Why are the secularists so upset with Gul’s selection?

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Prime Minister Erdogan, who belongs to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and foreign minister Abdullah Gul, have their roots in political Islam. Secularists fear if Gul were to be elected president, the two together could threaten Turkey’s separation of state and religion. Many of them even accuse Erdogan of pursuing a hidden Islamist agenda.

• Are their fears justified?

Well, at present their fears appear a bit exaggerated. While it is true that both Erdogan and Gul have Islamists leanings, it’s equally true that ever since Erdogan became prime minister in 2003, he and his party have given the secularists little reason to fret. In fact, he hasn’t even tried to reverse the ban on women with headscarves in government buildings.

• What has been the army’s reaction?

Turkey’s army sees itself as the custodian of the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who gave the nation its secular constitution. It has seized power three times between 1960 and 1980, and in 1977 forced and Islamic government out of power. This time, the military staged what many are calling an e-coup. The generals posted a statement on the Internet, accusing the government of tolerating rising Islamic activity and threatening to take action.

• Has all this affected Turkey’s bid to join the EU?

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Yes, to a certain extent. The Turkish government had been undertaking many reforms, with an eye on gaining membership to the EU. This crisis would only give those opposing its bid, a chance to say it’s not yet ready to join the union.

• What is the general election’s outcome likely to be?

Ever since it came to power in 2002, the AKP has presided over sustained economic growth. And that is likely to ensure it a win. A fresh mandate could strengthen the bid of Erdogan’s presidential candidate. Whatever happens, what’s certain is that the debate over democracy and secularism in Turkey will not be resolved in a hurry.