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Turkish Army Blasts Incoming President

Fears of a coup return as former Islamist ascends to top job

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 28, 2007 8:50 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Turkey is heading for a showdown over the relation of the state and Islam as Abdullah Gul, who has been the subject of bitter protests, was named president of Turkey in a parliamentary election today. The nomination of Gul, the foreign minister and a practicing Muslim whose wife wears a head scarf, led to massive secularist protests across Turkey last spring.

This morning the army's lead spokesman decried the "centers of evil who systematically try to corrode the secular nature of the Turkish Republic." Following July's election, which returned the Islamic ruling party to power, Gul's accession to the presidency became unavoidable. Nobody is yet talking about a coup—but Turkey has seen four governments deposed by the military since the 1960s.

Turkey's Chief of Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit is seen during a ceremony at the presidential palace in this Aug. 16, 2007 file photo. Turkey's military denied Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007 that generals, whom the prime minister wants to stay out of politics, had held secret talks with the presidential candidate...
Turkey's Chief of Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit is seen during a ceremony at the presidential palace in this Aug. 16, 2007 file photo. Turkey's military denied Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007 that generals, whom...   (Associated Press)
Turkish Foreign Minister and ruling party's presidential candidate Abdullah Gul raises his hand during the first round of presidential elections in Ankara in this Aug. 20, 2007 file photo. Turkey's military has issued late Monday a stern warning about the threat to secularism on the eve of an expected triumph...
Turkish Foreign Minister and ruling party's presidential candidate Abdullah Gul raises his hand during the first round of presidential elections in Ankara in this Aug. 20, 2007 file photo. Turkey's military...   (Associated Press)
Turkish Foreign Minister and ruling party's presidential candidate Abdullah Gul casts his vote at the Parliament in Ankara, Friday, Aug. 24, 2007. Turkey's Parliament holds a new round of voting Friday on the presidential candidacy of Gul, a devout Muslim, whose earlier bid for the post led to tensions. (AP...
Turkish Foreign Minister and ruling party's presidential candidate Abdullah Gul casts his vote at the Parliament in Ankara, Friday, Aug. 24, 2007. Turkey's Parliament holds a new round of voting Friday...   (Associated Press)
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"The end of secularism"
Newsweek

 
Islam • Turkey • Abdullah Gul • Turkish elections • secularism

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